Celestial War
by tucuxia
Summary: The three tribes-Celestial, Wilderness, and Spellbound-have been at an uneasy stalemate for generations, but a prophecy about four omegas could bring about a full-scale war that will destroy them all. Also posted on AO3
1. Wounded

**Part 1: Winter Journeys**

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Chapter 1: Wounded

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Dean couldn't remember a time before the war. His pack had been in a constant struggle for territory with the Celestial and Spellbound Packs since his grandfather's time, every member of the Wilderness Pack trained as consummate warriors in order to rebuff the invaders. He had once asked his father why they were fighting, what had started the war, but a cuff from John's heavy paw ended that line of questioning. As he sat on a high bluff looking up into the tall, snow-capped mountains that comprised the southern border of the Celestial Lands, the huge wolf couldn't help but wonder if he would be able to find a way to end the fighting when his father died and he took up the role of Head Alpha.

A low whine from behind him broke Dean out of his melancholy thoughts. _"Sammy."_

His younger brother, slightly taller in both human and wolf forms, sauntered up the bluff and sat down beside Dean, green-hazel eyes locked on those mountains. _"What are you looking for?"_

" _I don't know. The Celestials have been pretty quiet for the past few months, and I can't help but be uneasy about that. After sixteen years of constant attacks, why let up now?"_

Sam shrugged, his brown fur rippling in the morning light, the red undertones clearly visible. _"I don't know why you're upset. This is the easiest patrol so far. Besides, it's been a lot of fun not having the old geezers ordering us around."_

Dean chuckled, which sounded more like a strangled growl in his wolf form. _"Bobby's happier staying home nowadays. He said that patrols are for young pups with no family at home. I think he just wanted all of us out of the way so he could court Ellen before mating season rolls around again. We cramp his style."_

Ellen's daughter from her first mate, a young alpha named Jo, growled and snapped at Dean as she joined the brothers on the bluff. Dean was technically in charge of this expedition, but any group with so many alphas was bound to have some minor skirmishes. The big red male rose to his feet, the white ticking on his fur shimmering as the wind picked up from the north, bringing new scents and sounds with it. Jo, her red-ticked blonde fur raised along her back, snapped her jaws at the bigger male and narrowed her brown eyes. She didn't have to say anything; Dean knew she hated it when they talked about her mother's blossoming relationship with Bobby Singer, so he lowered his head in apology. Jo snorted and nodded her head, freezing as she caught a scent in the wind.

She was the best tracker in the pack, so Dean nodded toward Sam and the fourth member of their band, gesturing for them to join him and await Jo's analysis. _"It smells like blood."_

" _Where?"_

" _North and east of here."_

Benny, the big beta who rounded out their scouting band, was instantly on alert, turning toward the direction Jo had indicated and shaking his head. _"That's the forbidden zone between all three pack lands. No one should be there."_

" _It must be a border skirmish between the Celestials and the Spellbounds. If they've been fighting each other lately, it would explain why they have left us alone."_

Sam nudged Benny, waiting until the bulky red-striped black wolf turned to him before nodding at Dean. The mahogany male was staring into the wind, his raised tail slowly wagging. _"You're probably right, Sammy. Let's go check it out."_

" _Dean, that's not our mission. If they aren't on our land, they aren't our concern."_

" _Your brother's right, cher. We should go back and report this so we can return with a full pack. The four of us may not be up to this fight."_

" _We won't know until we try! Come on."_ And with that, Dean was off, loping down the slope with his white-tipped tail held high. Benny didn't hesitate, following him a moment later, Sam and Jo locking eyes before they joined the other two. Neither of them were willing to challenge the mahogany male for leadership of their band, so they had to obey him. No matter how stupid his ideas were sometimes.

The four of them reached the edge of the forest that flanked the great mountains, the official border of Wilderness land, a few minutes later. Dean slowly led his band across the desolate plain between the lands, his eyes on the swamp that formed the border of the Spellbound Pack's land. This empty plain was technically forbidden to all three packs, though it had been used to negotiate short truces in the past. The four large wolves crept through the winter-dead grass, following the strange scents to the corner of the plain where the swamp butted up against the rocky mountain slope. Dean perked up at the yips and growls of battle, ears turned forward as he broke into a run, his three best friends at his heels.

They jumped over a small rise, finding themselves in the middle of a bloody battle between three Spellbound wolves that Dean had met before and four strangers that had to be Celestials. The silvery white Spellbound alpha, Lilith, was fighting off two Celestials, one white and one blue, while the other four were paired up against each other further away. Dean growled an order, heading for the red-and-black Spellbound female facing the pure black Celestial male as Jo and Benny headed for Lilith and her prey, leaving Sam to break up the golden Celestial male facing a larger white Spellbound male.

Dean had never seen any of the Celestials before, but he had fought all three of the Spellbounds in the past with his father. Lilith was second-in-command of a splinter pack that lived along the disputed western border of her lands, following Cain and running with his four children. Dagon, the red-and-black patterned female, was a wily beta who rarely went anywhere alone, though she and her white beta brother Asmodeus tended to run with Lilith more than their father and older alpha brothers. Dean reached Dagon just as the Celestial male crunched down on her leg and threw her away, using her strength and size against her. Dagon howled in fury, the noise changing to a grunt of surprise as Dean sunk his teeth into her tail and jerked her back.

The beta knew that she was no match for the huge alpha on her own, so she wisely tucked her bleeding tail under her belly and limped back to her own lands. Dean turned to watch as Benny and Jo nipped at Lilith, pushing her away from the smaller Celestial males and herding her back to her lands. She spotted Sam, her white eyes flashing as she leapt to block the tall brown alpha, growling as Benny ducked his head and slammed into her side. His fur on end, Sam turned away from Asmodeus and his opponent and snapped his jaws at the white female, keeping his head low to protect his belly. He still carried a set of long scars across his chest from a previous battle with the Spellbound alpha when he overestimated her speed, and he knew that she still hated him for surviving. Sam would not underestimate her again.

Lilith glanced at Dagon retreating and wisely decided to follow, lunging at Sam once before galloping away. Sam and Benny turned toward the final skirmish, all four Wilderness wolves dashing forward at a desperate scream of pain from the golden wolf. Asmodeus sunk his teeth into the smaller male's shoulder, shaking him twice before throwing him to the ground, the four long gashes that had prompted his scream visible on the wounded male's side. Dean pulled up short as the slender black Celestial leapt on Asmodeus's back, sinking his teeth into the larger male's neck and pulling back with all of his strength. The black's primal scream of rage echoed through the four Wilderness wolves' minds, Asmodeus falling to the ground and rolling to break the vicious hold. As soon as he was free, the white beta dashed off after his sister, a trail of blood following him into the swamp.

The Celestial male, bleeding from his own small collection of bites and cuts, leaned down to sniff his injured companion, whining at the blood soaking the golden fur. His blue and white companions slowly moved to stand behind him, watching the four newcomers warily as they licked at their own much less severe wounds. Dean's eyes widened as he realized that the four Celestial wolves had iridescent fur, a pattern he had never seen or heard of before.

The leader's black fur shone blue in the light, his bright blue eyes flicking to Dean as he tried to determine how much of a threat these four large wolves posed. His companion's golden fur shone brilliantly in the sunlight, his golden eyes opening once to observe the newcomers before closing against the pain from his wounds. The iridescent blue male with golden eyes laid down beside his injured friend, whining as the slender iridescent white male joined them. The white's fur alternated between blue and gold as the angle of the light changed, though he had the same bright blue eyes as the larger black male.

Dean wondered if the four were related. The black male looked as worried about the golden one's wounds as Dean would be if Sam was injured. The dark red wolf stepped forward to offer his assistance, jumping back as the black male whirled and snapped his teeth. Dean responded with an instinctive growl, hackles raised as he jumped in, looking for an opening. The black male jumped on his back and sunk his claws into Dean's shoulder, turning his jaws for a deadly bite. Dean twisted around and slammed his head into the black male's side, throwing him off but earning the mahogany male a set of claw marks on his left shoulder.

As the two wolves separated, the wind shifted again, blowing across the injured golden male and his two companions, safely hidden behind their snarling black guardian. Jo and Sam scented it at the same moment, the brown wolf jumping forward to slam into his brother and knock him away from his opponent. _"Dean, they're_ omegas _! You can't attack them!"_

Dean froze at his brother's howled words, green eyes widening in horror at what he had almost done. There were few rules in a wolf pack, but the imperative to protect omegas at all cost was one of the most basic. Even ones from the other two packs were generally immune from the viscous fighting between the alphas and betas of their families. The black omega—now that the wind had changed, Dean could confirm his brother's identification—didn't seem too worried about that rule, however. His blue eyes were dark with bloodlust as he snapped his fangs and growled nonstop at the larger mahogany male, something that Dean had seen often in alphas and dominant betas but never in the gentlest subgender. Panting softly, Dean carefully lowered himself to the ground and dropped his tail, rolling onto his back in complete submission. He didn't know any other way to stop this strange male from attacking, but he would do anything to avoid injuring him further.

Shocked, Sam lowered himself to the ground, as well, Jo and Benny following their leader's example. Slowly, his eyes clearing, the black male closed his lips and quieted his growl, taking a few steps back toward his injured companion before letting his iridescent fur settle along his back. As the tension left his body, the black male started to tremble, his wounds stinging and his energy flagging. Dean wondered how long they had been fighting the three Spellbound wolves before he and his band arrived.

" _We can help you."_

The black male growled, but the sound was half-hearted and lacked its previous vigor. Omegas were not known for their stamina, so the fact that he had survived so long was a testament to his incredible willpower. The white wolf, patches of his iridescent fur missing along his side from his fight with Lilith, slowly crawled forward, blue eyes locked on the four wolves lying on their backs. _"Can you heal our brother?"_

" _Balthazar!"_ The black wolf looked over his shoulder and snapped his teeth, though not nearly as aggressively as he had toward Dean. It was an alpha's warning to an errant pack mate.

" _Look, we need help, okay? And they did chase off those Spellbound assholes, so maybe they can help Gabe. He can't run like this."_

" _Brother, be reasonable,"_ the blue male purred, his mental voice deep and soothing. It was clear that he was the peacemaker among the four. _"We don't have any medicine and we lost the last of our supplies in the mountains. It's them or Michael."_

Dean's ears perked up at the name of the Celestial Head Alpha. Clearly they didn't want to have any more to do with him than the four Wilderness wolves did. He waited patiently as the tall black wolf slowly relaxed, snorting at the mahogany alpha before nodding. _"Fine, we will let them try. But if they hurt Gabriel I will_ eat _them."_

Taking a chance, Sam rolled onto his belly and shifted into his human form, clad only in his wolf-fur shorts, combing his fingers through his shoulder-length brown hair. They couldn't take any foreign objects into their wolf forms, so the members of the Wilderness pack had long ago learned to make simple garments from their own shed fur to prevent rejection when they shifted forms. Even the rope that held the short pants up had to be made of fur. Sam, the tallest member of the Winchester family, slowly rose to his feet, hands held out to show that he was not a threat. He walked over to Jo and freed the medical bag attached to the rope around her waist, turning to the four brothers and bowing his head.

"Omega, do I have permission to approach your brother?"

The black male nodded his head sharply, moving to the side as the sturdy golden-eyed blue wolf shifted forms. The blue male, a brunet in human form, was taller than Dean had expected, his strong face gentle and open, dark gold eyes watching Sam trustingly as the alpha approached. He was a little on the lean side, the faintest shadow of his ribs visible along his sides, and there was a strange gauntness to his cheeks. Clearly, it had been some time since this omega had eaten properly, and Dean wondered if his pack mates suffered from similar deprivation.

"I am Gadreel, and this is my twin brother Gabriel. Can you heal him?" He seemed unfazed by the cold wind or his own nakedness, and Dean wondered if the Celestials knew how to make the wolf-fur clothes to wear when they shifted. Members of his pack were not modest, but Dean wouldn't want these four omegas to be self-conscious around alphas and betas of a rival pack.

Sam slowly knelt down beside the injured golden wolf, trying to shift the fur so he could see the wound, but there was too much blood and the omega was whining in pain. "Hey, Gabriel, it's going to be okay. Your wounds don't look that bad." The wolf snorted at Sam's soothing tone, looking up as the brunet rested a hand on his upper foreleg. "Look, I got one just like it from Lilith last year." He pointed at the four long scars across his right pectoral, smiling as the small wolf huffed at him. "But your fur is kinda getting in the way. I need you in human form, and we need a stream or something where I can clean you up."

"There is a stream just north of us," Gadreel offered. "If he shifts form, can you carry him that far, Alpha?"

Sam nodded, slinging his medical pack over his shoulder. "I should be able to."

Gabriel groaned and focused, pulling his wolf back and crying out as the pain from his wounds almost overwhelmed him. He was also completely naked, but quite a bit shorter than his twin with longer blonde hair and brighter golden eyes, though he carried the same marks of recent or frequent starvation. Without his fur, the four long gashes that ran from above his hip almost to his knee were clearly visible, and they looked a lot worse than Sam had let on. The bite on his shoulder was jagged and messy-looking, but not nearly as much concern as the claw marks. He watched as Sam slipped one arm under his shoulders and the other under his legs, his wounded side pointed away from the taller man's chest to avoid any extra damage. "What's your name?"

"I'm Sam," the alpha murmured, following Gadreel with the two Celestial wolves flanking him and his own pack-mates behind him. They reached the stream quickly, Sam kneeling beside the rushing water and testing the temperature. "It's pretty cold, Gabriel."

"Celestials don't mind the cold much," Gabriel replied, sighing as Sam lowered him carefully into the water. The icy cold numbed his wound, washing away the blood and soothing some of his bruises. Sam fished a small cloth out of his medicine pack, using it to sponge away the blood from the bite on Gabriel's shoulder before pulling him out of the water where he could dry in the early winter sun. Settling on a large rock at the edge of the water, Sam gestured for Gadreel to join him as he helped Gabriel stretch out on his side. Gadreel cradled his twin's head, watching in concern as Sam poked at the wounds.

"These are pretty deep. I have some salve here that will prevent infection, but I really think these need stitches. Your shoulder wound isn't as bad, but I'm still worried about it."

Gabriel twitched his left leg, groaning at the pain that lanced through his body. "I can handle a few stitches, big boy. As long as you don't leave any ugly scars."

Sam chuckled, already warming to the smaller omega. "I've been told that I sew some of the neatest stitches in the pack. If Jo would be so kind as to start a fire so I can sterilize a needle, that would be great. I also need some boiling water for the thread."

The female alpha nodded, shrugging out of the ropes holding the supplies to her waist before shifting back into her human form. She looked tiny compared to Sam, but she wasn't more than a few inches shorter than Dean in his human form, golden hair curling down her back. A strip of red wolf-fur cloth around her chest and shorts similar to Sam's were her only protection against the biting wind, and Wilderness wolves tended to crave warmth. "Ugh, I hate being cold."

"Build a fire if you plan to be anything else," Sam replied, smiling as his brother sat down behind him, offering him the protection of his body heat. He wouldn't complain about the frigid temperature, but the alpha couldn't stitch wounds with shaking hands. "Thanks, Dean."

Gabriel looked up at the mahogany wolf towering over him, golden eyes thoughtful. Dean's huge white paws rested near the blonde's head, white spots covering his legs before giving way fully to the rich mahogany fur that covered the rest of his body, just the hint of white ticking on the ends of each strand. He had a few white freckles on his muzzle and white on the tip of his long tail, and Gabriel had only ever heard of one freckled mahogany wolf in the Wilderness or Spellbound lands. "Aren't you John Winchester's pups?"

"Yeah. Dean's his heir, and I like to tag along for patrols." Jo, her fire crackling just beside the rock, reached into the medicine pouch for the pack of needles, finding the curved one that Sam would need and taking it to the fire. Thin metal needles were very expensive and hard to come by, but a couple of their pack-mates were consummate metal workers and had gifted this set to the band. Sam had carefully curved a few of them to use for gashes like Gabriel's, and all of them had benefited from his medical knowledge in the past. This was the first time he needed to use his skills on a member of another pack, however.

"I haven't seen much of these lands," Gabriel replied, looking behind Gadreel at a sharp growl from the black wolf. "Look, you have got to calm down, baby bro. These guys are helping us and you're going to rile them up. Alphas don't like to be growled at." He was right, of course, but as soon as the Wildernesses realized that these were omegas, all of their alpha instincts to fight were gone, replaced by a deep need to protect. No matter what the black wolf did, they wouldn't get angry.

"Hey, if growling makes him feel better, let him," Jo replied, voicing what the brothers had been thinking. Benny had wandered away from the group, taking up a tentative guard spot looking out across the plain they had just crossed. The bulky beta was okay with blood in a fight when he was spilling it, but he got queasy watching his pack mate treat any serious wounds. "Needle is ready, Sam."

Sam showed Gadreel how to help hold the edges of the gashes together to make it easier for him to close the wounds. Jo boiled enough thread for the operation, placing the sterile strands on a small sterilized metal plate that was still warm from the water. Grabbing the packs of herbs, she moved to one side and began to mix the poultice, using a tiny amount of the boiled water before dropping some tea leaves and flower buds into the remainder and pushing it back over the fire.

Gabriel gasped as the needle punctured his skin, Balthazar moving to block his black brother from interfering. Dean, sensing that the omega was too worried to adequately control his wolf, moved away from Sam and crawled over to the black Celestial, raising his nose to nuzzle him under the chin. It was a method he had seen other alphas use to calm their omega mates when they were caught up in an emotional situation, and he was glad that it seemed to work on this strange black male. Slowly, his brother rubbing against his side and Dean licking his chin, the Celestial male let himself be calmed, lowering himself to the ground and resting his head on his paws. He was still tense, his scent worried, but that frantic terror was gone, and his growl was silent. Dean and Balthazar stretched out beside him, offering this omega who acted like an alpha whatever support he needed.

It seemed to take an eternity for Sam to stitch Gabriel's wounds, the blonde silently sobbing against his brother's leg as he struggled not to move. Gadreel soothed his twin as best as he could, tears in his own eyes in response. Sam could sense that he had a healer's empathy for his pack mate, and he was grateful for the assistance in keeping the omega calm.

The bites on his shoulder only took a few stitches, Sam dabbing away the remaining blood as he took the poultice Jo offered. The green mixture would prevent infection and promote healing, often with the added side-effect of pain relief. He slathered a thin layer over each wound, taking a thick cotton pad and placing it over top of each, covering that with a long piece of heavier cloth to keep it from moving. He wrapped another long, narrow strip of cloth around Gabriel's leg just above his knee, continuing to cover every inch of skin to the inside of his upper thigh, using the last of the roll to wrap it a couple of times around his waist before securing it in place.

The wound on his shoulder required a much shorter piece of narrow cloth, Sam pulling an appropriately-sized roll free from the half-dozen in the bag. The bandage started at Gabriel's bicep, wrapping around the entire upper arm before winding across his chest a couple times for stability. Sam helped him sit up and fit him with a simple sling, determined that he would keep that arm still and not pull any of his stitches out. While Sam cleaned up from his operation, Jo helped Gabriel drink some of the tea she prepared, knowing that the herbs would calm him.

"There, how do you feel?"

"Better," Gabriel murmured. "Your bandage system is much more sophisticated than ours. Having the separate cotton pad means that you can reuse these long bandages, right?"

"Yeah. They're also made with a mix of cotton and a different plant fiber that makes them just a little bit stretchy, to avoid putting too much pressure on wounds. Let me know if you feel any tightness or discomfort."

"It feels alright for now. I don't know if I can walk, though." He looked over at the black wolf, but a quick snap of teeth silenced whatever he was going to say. "Look, I couldn't do that, either. I'm not even sure shifting forms is advisable. What are we going to do?"

Humans couldn't hear wolves in form, not unless they were very close like brothers or mates. Whatever the black male said in reply, only his own pack could hear, but Gadreel turned in shock and tilted his head. "Brother, we don't have a choice." The black snapped again, offering the start of a growl before Balthazar leaned into him. "They helped us. If we stay here, Michael will find us and Gabriel will be lost. And I will be, as well. You know I cannot leave him. Just as you could not leave Balthazar when the Spellbounds attacked."

The white wolf whined and leaned harder into his brother, Sam beginning to suspect that they might be twins, as well. Dean looked up as the black rose to his feet, his red ears pinned to his head. _"You can't carry him back into those mountains, not with winter coming. We can help you, and we're strong enough to carry him."_ Sam couldn't hear the black male's reply, but his brother rose into a casual sitting position at the words. _"I don't know, Sam is the healer."_ He looked over at the three men sitting on the flat rock by the river, ears twitching. _"Sam, the Omega wants to know if his brother can be moved safely."_

"It should be safe, as long as he isn't riding. If he uses the muscles in his legs to hold onto one of us, he'll pull the stitches or worse. Someone will have to carry him."

"While riding a wolf? Sam, that doesn't seem advisable." Gadreel's voice was still calm, but there was a deep worry in his golden eyes. "I've never heard of a wolf able to carry two riders, certainly not for any distance. None of us can carry even one."

There was something odd about how he said that, but Sam didn't waste any time contemplating it. The omegas were naturally smaller than alphas and betas, but these four Celestials were some of the tallest ones Sam had ever met. What could possibly prevent them from carrying a person, especially one as small as Gabriel? "You don't have to worry about that. In that skirmish with Lilith when I was injured, Cain broke Benny's leg before Bobby and Jo drove them off. Dean carried both of us fifty miles back to the fortress, leaving the others free to act as guards. He never faltered, and your brother weighs less than our beta. He can do it."

Dean turned toward the white wolf, shaking his head. _"It's not uncommon in times of need, but we don't make a habit of it. Sam and I have practiced carrying each other dozens of times, at all speeds and in all environments. He would never fall off, and he certainly wouldn't drop your brother. We don't harm omegas in Wilderness Pack, even visitors."_ Sam nodded in approval at the word Dean had chosen, offering his protection to these four invading omegas. With that one word, he promised to treat them as members of his own band as long as they were in Wilderness territory.

The black male seemed to accept the offer, nudging Balthazar to his feet as he padded over to his human-form brothers. Sam nodded toward Jo's pack, silently asking her to pass it over so he could get ready for transport. "We carry some spare clothes, but I can't guarantee that they will fit you, half-pint."

"I won't need much," Gabriel returned, watching the tall brunet pull out a collection of clothes and pile them on the rock.

"Dude, you're butt-ass naked and it's going to drop to forty or so tonight. Trust me, you'll be grateful of something to protect your hide from that." He handed over a pair of dark wool pants, one of Dean's pairs, a cream-colored cotton shirt, and a brown woolen vest. Gadreel helped his brother dress, careful of his bandaged wounds, slipping his arm back into the rough sling before helping him to his feet. Sam dug out his own pair of long pants, shirt, and vest, finding a heavy pair of plain moccasins for his bare feet.

"I don't have any shoes in here that will fit you," Sam apologized, glancing at Gabriel's bare feet lost in the bottom of the too-long pants. He had to be almost five inches shorter than Dean, so that extra material might provide enough protection from the cold. "You'll probably be okay, though, especially since you won't be walking. We have an extra blanket, so if you get cold let me know. Jo, go ahead and shift so I can get the pack back on you."

"I will carry the pack," Gadreel offered. "You should keep your pack mates free while your leader is encumbered. My brothers and I will run in whatever positions you think best."

Sam didn't even have to ask Dean what he was thinking; they had been running together for so long that they could almost read each other's mind. "Jo will take point, Dean will be behind her with you on one side and Balthazar on the other. Your leader will take the guard position in the rear and Benny will run at the end to watch for anything untoward following us. It's not too different from our normal arrangement."

Gadreel nodded and shifted forms, Sam noting a number of small wounds on the blue omega as he fastened the packs around his waist. As soon as they were safely back in Wilderness lands and settled for the night, Sam would try to get the other omegas to let him check their wounds. Sam slipped his arms under Gabriel's shoulders and knees again, catching a whiff of his sweet scent now that it wasn't overpowered by blood anymore. His hazel eyes widened at that sharp, musky undertone and he turned away from the wolves to get a modicum of privacy.

"Gabriel, are you going into heat?" He kept his voice low enough that even his own brother couldn't hear, and thankfully the other three omegas were absorbed with formation instructions and didn't notice.

The blonde shook his head, having seen the instant that the alpha caught his scent. "Just coming out of it," he whispered back. "It's why we had to run. It's the biggest reason, anyway."

"It's a couple months too early for a heat, at least in our pack."

"We've always been a bit early. If it wasn't for the battle you might have scented it before. We're all on the same schedule."

Now the black male's aggression made a lot more sense. If he and his brothers were at the tail end of a heat coming out of the mountains, that could easily have been the impetus for Lilith and her betas to attack. Unmarked, unmated omegas in heat would have proven an irresistible lure for the Spellbound female. And the Celestial black would have had no way to know if Dean and his pack had come for the same reason.

Sam tightened his hold on the smaller blonde, leaning down to touch foreheads in what he hoped was a comforting gesture. It would be in his own pack, but the Celestials might have different customs. "We would never do _that_ to you. No one in my pack would."

Gabriel nodded, smiling up at the tall healer. "I know that now. I trust you, Sam, even if my youngest brother does not."

Dean yipped at his brother, calling him back to the group as they prepared to depart at last. Sam carefully climbed on his brother's back, gripping tightly with his legs as the wolf stood up from his low crouch. Dean was one of the largest members in the Wilderness pack, almost as tall as a fully-grown horse and twice as bulky, which made him one of the only wolves that six-foot-four Sam could ride. Finding his balance, Sam tucked down slightly to protect his burden, nodding when he was ready to go. Without another sound, Dean loped off, following Jo back to their lands and whatever safety they could offer the four omegas.

They ran for hours, using as much of the fading light as they could, only stopping an hour after sunset when Jo couldn't see through the trees anymore. She found them a protected clearing near a stream to make camp, working out guard schedules with Benny and Dean as Sam settled Gabriel against a large tree and started making their fire. The three omegas collapsed in a heap near their brother, knowing better than to touch him and risk his wounds but unwilling to be far away. As soon as Sam had a fire going and water boiling for some medicinal tea, he returned to the blonde and settled the only blanket from their pack around his slender form.

"How are you feeling?"

"Stiff! And my leg hurts."

Sam smiled comfortingly, checking Gabriel's sling before taking a seat beside him. The black wolf, clearly accepting the alpha at last, didn't offer even a token growl. "It's going to do that. We have a pretty impressive healer back home who will look you over. Hopefully she can help with any pain that you are feeling, and we can keep you comfortable while you heal."

" _We aren't going back to the fortress,"_ Dean countered, the black Celestial looking up at his announcement. Sam repeated it to Gabriel, waiting for his brother to explain himself. _"It's too far in this weather, and I don't think it's safe to try to move four wounded omegas all the way across our lands with the threat of snow growing greater every day. We don't have the clothes for you and Gabriel if that happens."_

Gadreel raised his head and whined, Gabriel translating for Sam's benefit. "He wants to know where we would be safe. He's equally worried about you and me riding Dean hundreds of miles back to the center of your land."

" _Our patrol was supposed to take us all the way down the Spellbound border to Bear Claw Lake, and then we would have followed the river home. It would be almost a month before we were expected back, just before hard winter sets in. In wolf form, it wouldn't have been any problem for us to stay out that long. However, now we need somewhere to rest until winter is over, or at least until Gabriel can shift again. There is a splinter pack that lives on the Spellbound border, not more than two days away from here."_

"You sound hesitant."

Sam nodded at Gabriel, all four omegas watching the tall brunet and waiting for an explanation. "They are technically members of the Wilderness Pack, but they have a rather large number of dealings with Spellbound wolves." The black male growled and snapped his teeth at that, but Dean touched his neck with his nose and the omega calmed down. "Not with Lilith, or anyone else in Cain's pack. They stay to the north, where we left them. This pack has dealings with one or two of the most powerful witches of the main pack. The head omega of this splinter group used to be a Spellbound wolf before she switched fealty to us. We never made her stop seeing her friends, as long as she and her family kept the border secure."

"And that's where you want to take us?"

Sam shrugged. "The head alpha owes his life to our mother; he considers it at debt he can never repay, so he would not refuse us. And, like Dean said earlier, you four are under our protection. No harm will come to you, I swear it."

Dean repeated that promise, green eyes watching the black omega intently. He leaned forward and sniffed in the direction of the white and black wolves, his eyes narrowing as he looked over his shoulder at Jo and Benny. _"Jo, head down to that stream and check for fish. I don't know if there will be any this time of year, but try to grab something. Benny and I will hunt for some larger game while Sam gets a fire going."_

"Good plan. I'll also find the water skins for you to fill when you return." Sam stood and took the supplies from Jo, resting his hand briefly on Dean's shoulder in a question.

Dean's next words were for him alone, along the tight bond that they shared as brothers. Even Jo and Benny couldn't listen in. _"Sam, how long do you think it's been since they've eaten? They don't smell right, especially the black one that won't give us his name."_

"I don't know," Sam whispered, not even shocked at his brother's question. He had thought about that earlier, when he saw the state the twins were in. "Gabriel told me that they are all just coming out of a heat, and I have never known an omega to hunt while going through one. If they lost their supplies in the mountains, as Gadreel said, then it must have been days."

" _They need to eat, especially after the fight they had. I don't know if we have any dried meat left in our supplies, but give them everything we have. It'll be hard to find any deer or wild pigs this time of year, but maybe we'll grab some rabbits or squirrels that haven't gone into hibernation yet. We'll survive a couple of days without food, but the omegas won't."_

Sam nodded and returned to the Celestials, checking the supplies for any leftover food but coming up empty. Switching gears, he started on the fire, digging a shallow hole and finding some rocks to place around the edges to contain the flames. Gadreel shifted forms and moved to help him gather sticks and leaves, arranging them in the hole and smiling at Sam as he brought out his tinder box and lit the kindling. The brunet looked up as another man joined them, the white wolf taking his human form in order to join his older brothers by the fire. He wasn't as heavily built as Gadreel, but he was taller than Gabriel with sandy blonde hair and bright blue eyes, sharing that same complete unconcern for modesty as his brother. Balthazar looked to be Dean's height, though he slouched a bit as he settled down by the fire. He didn't seem any better fed than his brothers, but the deprivations weren't as noticeable on his smaller form.

Alone with the four omegas, Sam turned to the tall black wolf and tilted his head, offering a hospitable smile. "You're welcome to join us out of form. Unfortunately, I can't talk to you in this form and I'd like to get to know you better."

The wolf crawled closer to the fire, Gadreel and Balthazar carefully lifting Gabriel and helping him lean against their brother's side near the fire. The Celestial wolf growled something that sounded like an apology, flicking his ears to the side before settling down again. Gabriel smiled sadly, twining his fingers in the iridescent black fur behind him. "He won't change forms. It's kind of a rule he has."

"Why?"

Balthazar sighed and leaned back on his arms, staring up through the tree canopy at the stars overhead. They seemed dimmer, further away than they did in his mountain home, and he wondered if he could learn to like that. "Our pack is pretty large, with three main splinter packs that all answer to our brother Michael. He's only been in command for five years since our father stepped down and went into retirement far north of our official border. Michael, Lucifer, Raphael, and Anna were born long before us, so when our mother went into heat two decades ago, the pack considered it a miracle. Gabriel and Gadreel were born first, and she went into heat again just a few months later, giving birth to me and our littlest bro on Gad and Gabe's birthday. For a family with four alpha and beta pups, four omegas was considered a sign."

"And not necessarily a good one," Gabriel continued darkly. "Mother protected us for a while, but Michael wanted to reunite the two more aggressive splinter packs with the main one, and he thought we were the best way to do it. Anna didn't exactly agree with his plans or the methods that he would use to implement them, so she had some alphas from the Southern Celestial Pack teach us how to fight."

"And how to survive in the wild," Gadreel added. "Not that we did very well our first time on our own, as you can see, but we knew enough to get through the mountains in one piece. Then we went into our first heat the day after Mother and Father left, and we knew that our time was limited. Michael told us that he had some suggestions for mates, and he _strongly_ encouraged us to accept them." From the way Gadreel phrased it, Sam could tell that it wouldn't have been much of a choice. "He couldn't force us to mate against our will, but he limited our options to the point where he might as well have. Some of the alphas were not bad options, to be fair. The two unmated alphas from the Southern Pack were always kind to us while we were training there, and I could have tolerated the alpha from the Eastern Pack, but the alphas in the Western Pack were unacceptable."

"That pack is very unbalanced," Balthazar agreed, leaning forward and clenching his fists in his lap. "Lil' bro was meant to go there, and I couldn't stand to see him forced to mate either Uriel or Bartholomew. I convinced Michael that he had to wait a few years; it's dangerous for omegas to breed during their first heats, anyway. Over the next five years, we trained until we could beat alphas and betas in open battle, keeping our prowess a secret from our older brothers. Then we went into heat almost a week ago, and we had to run."

Sam straightened at the tone, at whatever the Celestial was not saying. The black wolf growled and stiffened, calming as Gadreel leaned over to rest a hand in his fur. "Calm, brother. We well remember your orders."

There was definitely something the brothers weren't saying, something that happened during their heat, but he knew better than to press on that subject. "You guys did a pretty good job getting through those mountains this time of year. Winter comes earlier in the high altitudes."

"Thank you, Sam. It wasn't easy, and those Spellbound wolves caught our scent as soon as we emerged onto the plains. Luckily your pack came to help."

Sam smiled and reached for Gabriel's free right hand, squeezing it gently. "I didn't mean to distract you. You were explaining to me why your brother won't change forms."

Gadreel nodded. "In order to leave our lands, we needed a leader, and that kind of dominance doesn't come naturally to omegas. Our youngest brother, however, has fought with all of our more dominant siblings in the past over their onerous rules and restrictions. He even defeated Raphael once or twice, though he still carries the scars from those interactions. When it was time to run, he took the lead and promised to keep us safe until we found a new home. He won't change forms until he feels like he has escorted us out of danger."

"And won't tell us his name, either?"

Gadreel chucked, grins on his brothers' faces. "You weren't meant to know ours, but with Gabe injured we may have let some extra information slip. And it seemed rude for me to appear to you in human form without offering my name. Especially since we're completely naked when we shift and your pack seems so modest."

Sam laughed, throwing his head back and clapping his hand on his knee. "Oh gods! I thought you just didn't know how to make wolf fur clothes. The four of us are the least modest members of our pack, but we always wear underclothes when we might interact with members of other packs or fight along the border. At home, no one really bothers."

Gabriel grinned at the taller man, the black wolf under him slowly wagging his tail. "Good, I was kind of worried that you're all embarrassed to be naked. I mean, you've seen all of us; it's only fair that I get to see you."

Sam straightened at the words and the possessive light in those golden eyes. Gadreel exchanged an amused glance with Balthazar as they watched their oldest brother reach out and run his free hand down Sam's leg. The alpha pulled back slightly in shock, having not expected the young omega to hit on him so blatantly, especially injured as he was. "Gabe, it's just the heat talking." He sounded incredibly disappointed as he reached for the blonde's hand and tried to peel it away from his leg.

Gabriel turned his hand over and laced his fingers with Sam's. "It's not the heat, Sam, and it's not just some overblown gratitude from you healing me. I have been courted by plenty of alphas and betas over the past few years, but I have never looked at any of them twice. Even Michael's intended mate for me never stirred any emotions. But I trusted you from the moment I scented you in the middle of that battle, and I truly want nothing more than to spend time together."

Sam smiled and raised Gabriel's hand to his mouth, placing a gentle kiss on the back of it. Balthazar reached forward and added a few more large sticks to the fire, blue eyes watching the interaction between his brother and the Wilderness wolf. "He's asking you to court him," the lanky man offered.

"Ask me again when you're healed," Sam whispered. "Otherwise it just feels like I'm taking advantage of you."

Gabriel nodded. "When I'm healed."

Sam looked up as a deep howl filled the trees, smiling as his wolf urged him to answer. Even in human form, he had an impressive howl, the black Celestial joining him, his cry oddly full-throated and deep for an omega. "Food will be here soon," Sam promised, scraping the bark off of a few sticks that they could use as skewers. "I'm not sure what they're bringing, but you can eat it however you want."

"Cooked would be nice," Balthazar replied. "I haven't eaten in wolf form often, and I'm not fond of raw meat. After that battle today, I'm not sure any of us are eager to see more blood."

"Fair enough. Help me make these skewers, then."

Dean and Benny returned with three rabbits, still fat from their fall gorging. Jo had managed a couple of fish, returning in human form so she could carry those and a handful of winter fruits she found near the river. She had already washed them, offering them to Sam so he could peel the thick skin off, taking a seat by the fire with her own sharp knife to clean the fish. Benny dropped his rabbits at Sam's side, shifting into human form and digging through the supplies for another knife he could use to skin his catch.

"How do you guys want your food?"

"Cooked, if you don't mind," Gadreel replied. "I can help you with that?"

Benny looked up from his task, pale blue eyes examining the omega for a long moment before passing him the rabbit and a knife. "You done this before, cher?"

"Generally I prepare my brothers' kills, yes."

Benny nodded, grabbing a few skewers and taking the cleaned kills that Gadreel passed him. Jo finished cleaning her fish and handed them to Balthazar to roast over the fire, silently parceling out the food in her mind. Her brown eyes met Sam's hazel, and he nodded. They didn't have nearly enough food for all eight of them, especially since alphas and betas tended to have huge appetites. She tilted her head toward the four peeled apple-sized wild fruits she had found, and Sam nodded in agreement. As Dean had said earlier, the four of them could easily survive a few days on little or no food, but the omegas were already starved enough and shouldn't have to suffer any longer.

Dean, who generally avoided having to clean his own kills, returned from his quick trip to the river with four full water skins hanging from a rope around his chest. The skins could be folded compactly into the travel sack when not in use, but they expanded quite a bit when needed. The black wolf raised his head as the alpha returned to camp, eyes examining every inch of visible skin as the very tip of his tail twitched involuntarily. Dean was well-built and imposing in both forms, a few pale scars marring his chest and arms, his vibrant green eyes watching the slender wolf as he sauntered up to the fire. His left shoulder still bore the evidence of his run-in with the young black omega, four faint gashes marring his bicep. Dean ran one hand through his dark, sandy blonde hair as he handed the water skins over, surreptitiously watching the black Celestial as the three human omegas turned to their youngest brother in shock.

Dean froze at the silent exchange, suddenly wishing that one of his pack members was still in wolf form to listen in. Gabriel chuckled and glanced over at the oldest Winchester brother, leaning forward so his brother could sit up and move closer to the fire. The omega growled at his brothers, clearly ending the conversation as he turned his attention to the food roasting over the fire. Dean exchanged a meaningful glance with his brother at that feral, half-starved light in the Celestial leader's bright blue eyes, reaching forward for one of the cooked rabbits and holding it out toward the wolf.

There was a long, tense silence as the black wolf stared at the meal he had been offered, his ears flattening against his head as he whined sadly and tried to look away. Dean looked at Gabriel for a translation, which the blonde readily provided. "He won't take that much food. It won't leave enough for the rest of us."

Dean shrugged, still holding the rabbit out. "My pack isn't hungry. We had a huge lunch before we met up with you. I figure, one rabbit each for three of you and the two fish for whoever's left over." The wolf raised his blue eyes to meet Dean's green, his expression shifting to confused sorrow. He wanted the food, but he knew what the Wildernesses were sacrificing. Dean nodded in gentle encouragement, refusing to relent until the black wolf reached out and gently sunk his teeth into the offering. His gums were pale pink from lack of iron, and the alpha wondered how long it had been since he had eaten properly.

Jo handed the fruit out to her pack mates as Sam passed out the meat, Gabriel and Gadreel taking rabbits while Balthazar accepted the fish. The four omegas tried to eat slowly, but after the first couple of bites, they began to tear into the food ravenously. Dean leaned forward and grabbed the black wolf's shoulder, forcing him to stop eating for a moment as Sam did the same with Gadreel and Gabriel, Balthazar looking up on his own. "You need to slow down, boys. You'll make yourselves sick if you keep up like that."

The omegas slowed down somewhat, and Sam decided that it was time to tell Dean what he had learned about them. He stripped down to his wolf fur shorts and piled his clothes neatly beside Gabriel, smiling at the blonde. "Jo, Benny; guard the omegas while Dean and I do a quick patrol. First watch starts when we return." The mahogany and brown wolves were gone a moment later, vanishing into the shadows of the trees.

The four omegas finished their food, helping Jo clean up while they waited for the brothers to return. The three human omegas drank eagerly from the water skins, their leader rising to his feet and shaking himself before heading down to the stream. "Brother?"

" _Just thirsty, Gad. I'll be back in a few minutes."_ Jo moved to follow him, but he shook his head and nodded toward his brothers. Hesitating for only a moment, the alpha returned to the fire, deciding that the black omega was most able to take care of himself and it was more important that they guard his injured brother.

He headed down to the water and rinsed his muzzle, drinking as soon as the blood was gone. He raised his head as a whisper of wolf-speech reached him through the trees. Curious, the Celestial slipped into the shadows and followed the noise, finding the two brothers sitting near the water and conversing with each other. They weren't talking on a tight line since they didn't expect any other wolves to be nearby, so he could make out the whole conversation.

" _Dude, I have seen starvation in my time, and I know what it looks like. The three older ones look okay—a bit thin, nothing bad—but their leader is skin and bones. Looking at how tall he is, he should be nearly as bulky as me. He should be the biggest omega we've ever seen. I know what they told you, but it's been almost two weeks since that black has had anything to eat. And I doubt he had much before that."_

The brown wolf nodded, growling softly to himself. _"Yeah, I know. I feel like they were leaving something out of their story. Omegas can't be forced to mate, and they have the ability to abort a pregnancy they don't accept, so Michael couldn't use them for his alliances without their acquiescence. Gadreel said that they were 'encouraged' to agree with their brother, and it's likely that food deprivation was one of the tactics that Michael used to coerce them. He also said that the three older ones weren't necessarily repulsed by their options, and it's possible they would have given in."_

" _But the youngest one?"_

" _Dean, he was going to mate Uriel or Bartholomew."_ Both of those Celestial alphas had bad reputations among the other packs for ruthlessness and cruelty, and those titles were well-earned. Their aging pack leader, Zachariah, was no better, and the young omega would have suffered greatly among them.

The larger wolf growled, his hackles rising in fury. The black Celestial watched in amazement as the alpha struggled to calm himself, genuinely angry on his behalf. Other than his omega brothers and sometimes Anna, no one had really cared about the black's happiness for most of the last decade. They just wanted to know how to use him. Suddenly, he felt like he could honestly, truly trust these brothers. Maybe he could even trust them with the huge secret and prophecy that had driven them from Celestial lands.

The black wolf crept forward through the underbrush, silent paws letting him reach the alphas without them noticing. Dean jumped back and snapped once, freezing as he recognized the intruder. _"Hey, what are you doing out here?"_

The black shrugged and raised his nose to the air, checking for other wolves. _"I came down for some water. I couldn't exactly drink from the water skins. I heard you two talking over here and I thought you might deserve some answers."_

Sam tilted his head at the Celestial, hazel eyes darting around wildly for a moment. _"You're awfully talkative all of a sudden. What's going on?"_

" _It's pretty obvious that we're hiding something, Sam. I thought that we had to, that you would act just like the alphas in my pack did, or that you might try to kill us to prevent the prophecy from coming to pass."_

Dean stepped forward, sniffing the omega in confusion. _"We aren't going to hurt you. I already gave you my word that you are a guest here, in my lands, and we will all protect you and your brothers. Don't you trust us?"_

" _I do now. So, I wanted to elaborate on the history my brothers recounted earlier."_ The black wolf shook his head and sat down in the leaves, waiting for the Winchesters to do the same before he continued. _"Michael didn't try to force us to mate on our first heat. The other alphas of the pack would not have allowed it. Generally, our omegas are protected from mating rituals until they are seventeen or eighteen, when they would be strong enough to carry a pup."_

" _Being an omega isn't just about making pups,"_ Dean interjected. _"Our omegas are in charge of all domestics issues and generally run the pack, while the alphas deal with fighting, patrols, and other inter-pack matters. Betas, of course, pick the duties that fit them best."_

" _It's like that in our packs, for the head omega. The rest of us tend to be a little less respected. As the youngest of eight pups, over two decades younger than the oldest, I was a commodity to be traded. I never really minded, as long as my brothers were safe. I would even have accepted Uriel as a mate to preserve the peace. Honestly, after ten years of bitter fighting with my older brothers, I was just tired."_

Every instinct in Dean's body was urging him to lean forward and comfort the omega, but he didn't want to frighten him off. The Celestials might not appreciate casual contact the way Wildernesses did. _"Then why did you leave?"_

The black wolf rose to his feet, crouching down slightly and rolling his shoulders. From under two tight flaps of skin along his side, he produced a pair of huge, black-furred wings, stretching them toward the sky for the brothers to see. Wolves couldn't gasp, but the black wolf heard the mental equivalent in his head as he bent his legs and jumped, flapping his wings at the same time. He rose a few feet above the ground, green and hazel eyes focused on him as he returned to the ground. He carefully folded his wings back under the special flaps of skin on his back, tilting his head at the brothers. _"We have wings,"_ he answered rather unnecessarily.

" _Holy fucking hell,"_ Dean growled, shaking his head slowly. _"Where did you get wings?!"_

" _Your reaction confirms that no one outside my pack has heard of the prophecy. Let me go back to our third heat and see if I can explain."_ He sat back down, turning to full face the brothers. _"When our third heat approached, Michael cut our food back. He said that supplies needed to be rationed so we could make it through the winter, but he hinted that mated omegas would get better rations, especially if they were going to breed during their heat. Of course, our heat comes earlier than any other in the pack, so we didn't have much to eat for two long, cold weeks. We suffered through that winter, and our heat came again six months later, in the middle of the summer. When he tried the same rationing story again, we knew what he was up to."_

" _He starved you to force you to mate? Buddy, that's barbaric. I'd heard that Michael was cruel, but this is beyond evil."_

The wolf hung his head. _"He, uh, he starved_ me _,"_ he clarified, emphasizing the last word. _"He said that since I was the youngest, I needed the least food, but I knew that he wanted to break my spirit. My brothers never really stood up to him the way I did, and it was unbecoming of an omega. I would usually give most of what I got to Gabriel or Balthazar when they were hungry, even Gadreel once. I kind of got used to the cycle."_

" _So if you went into heat approximately a week ago, then it's been two weeks since you ate? I thought one of your brothers said that you had supplies in the mountains."_

The black wolf nodded. _"Yes, we did. Anna stole some for us. And we were able to hunt a few snowshoe hares and ptarmigans in the mountains, but never enough."_

" _And you couldn't stand to see your brothers hungry."_

" _No,"_ the black wolf whispered, sensing that Dean understood that protective urge. He was the youngest of the four omegas, but he had always watched out for them like an alpha would. _"So as our tenth heat approached, Michael cut our food again and we made plans to run away to the Southern Pack and beg for sanctuary. The night before our heat began, our backs started to hurt and itch, so we slept in our wolf forms which made it was less uncomfortable. In the morning, we all sprouted these and went into heat."_

" _All of you have wings? All four of you? Then why didn't you fly away from the Spellbound pack when they attacked?"_

The black wolf chuckled, his tongue hanging out of his mouth. _"How long did it take you to learn to walk, Dean? We can't fly, not really. I think that our wings are large enough to carry us, but we don't have the muscle strength. As soon as Anna saw our wings, she gave us a bag of supplies and told us to run far away from Celestial lands. We have a prophecy that four winged omegas will have the power to destroy all of the packs, and Michael would have killed us if we had stayed. We had to run, no matter how unprepared we were."_

He watched Dean for a long moment, this alpha who would one day lead his pack, and he prayed that he had trusted the right wolf. Slowly, Dean rose to his feet and stepped forward, lowering his head and nuzzling the omega under his chin. _"Well then I have to hope that you like my pack enough not to destroy us."_ Sam grinned, flashing his fangs as he moved forward to lean again the black wolf's side. _"You and your brothers can run with our band as long as you want to."_

" _Thank you, Dean,"_ the wolf whispered, tears in his crystal blue eyes. He stepped back from the brothers, lowering his head and pulling his wolf back, finally shifting into his human form. He no longer felt the need to stay in his stronger form.

Dean and Sam shifted back to human as soon as they realized what the Celestial was doing, the older Winchester's eyes widening at the sight before him. The omega was tall, nearly his height, with messy raven black hair and those same intense, soulful blue eyes that seemed to stare right through him. Dean could see dozens of scars, the omega nearly as marked up as a young alpha, but what concerned him most were the ribs clearly visible along his chest, the too-sharp hips and gaunt cheeks, much worse than what he had seen on the other three omegas. The man had been underfed or starved for years. Even so, Dean couldn't help but stare.

"You're beautiful," he breathed, keeping his eyes above the waist to preserve the omega's dignity, having no idea how modest the omega might be. He couldn't look away, however. This man was truly gorgeous.

The raven-haired man ducked his head and blushed. His voice, when he finally spoke, was deep and gravelly, much sexier than his wolf voice. Mind speech tended to dampen the full spectrum of a person's spoken tone. "Thank you, Dean."

"What's your name? I can't exactly keep calling you 'black wolf' now that you're willing to change forms."

The Celestial smiled and crossed his arms in front of his chest, offering an alpha's bow to the brothers. "My name is Castiel."

* * *

 **AN:** This first scene was just an idea I had in my head that wouldn't go away, and now it's kinda evolved into a full-fledged fic. There may be some scenes that are written as tribute to the show, like the Gabriel vs Asmodeus thing (that isn't over, by the way), and the Sam healing Gabriel theme. Hopefully this will be a fun one.


	2. Sanctuary

Chapter 2: Sanctuary

* * *

Dean led Sam and Castiel back to the fire, staying in human form and watching the young omega as much as he could. The younger man was clearly not used to walking barefoot as a human, but he never complained or moved to change back. He was in the middle of telling the brothers the story of his first successful hunt as they entered the clearing, every face turning toward them as they appeared. Gadreel and Balthazar rose to their feet, Gabriel struggling to do the same before Jo put a warning hand on his shoulder. Benny stepped forward and offered a welcoming smile, crossing his wrists in front of his chest and offering Castiel the same alpha bow the raven-haired man had just exchanged with Dean.

"Thank you, Benny, for your welcome," Castiel murmured. "And I wanted to thank you all for taking care of my brothers in our time of need."

Dean clapped him on the shoulder and gently led him to the fire, keeping a light contact for as long as he could. Sam exchanged a knowing glance with Benny as they all settled around the fire again, Castiel sitting between Dean and Balthazar, leaving Sam free to sit between Jo and Gabriel, Gadreel and Benny taking spots with their respective packs. "Hey, Cas; Jo and Benny have already organized watches, but if you or your brothers want to join in the rotation, you'd certainly be welcome."

Gabriel looked over at Cas, raising one eyebrow at the familiar way Dean had addressed him. No one outside of his own three brothers had ever called the wolf anything but Castiel, and yet this alpha who had known him for less than a day had been afforded that privilege. Cas offered his brother a tiny smirk before turning back to the fire. "I could join you."

"No you can't," Benny snapped at the omega, glaring at his shocked alpha. "Brother, the boy is skin and bones. He's far worse off than his brothers, and I won't let him waste any of his energy guarding the camp. The four of us will be fine, and he will get some sleep, which I doubt he's had much of over the last week."

Castiel leaned forward, an angry tension in his shoulders as he opened his mouth to argue the point. Balthazar's hand on his arm silenced his retort, Gabriel leaning forward as best as he could to grab Cas's leg. "He's right, Cassie," the oldest of the omegas murmured. "You got us out of the mountains, now we all need to put our trust in these guys to get us to safety. Neither one of us are in any condition to fight. Just curl up with me tonight and try to regain your strength, okay, baby brother?"

The raven-haired man smiled and dropped his eyes. "I hate it when you call me that."

Gadreel cleared his throat and sat up taller. "I will be happy to stand guard with you tonight, in place of Sam. I'm not in as bad a shape as my brothers, and I can still fight. I think he should stay here in case Gabriel pulls his stitches in the night or needs anything else to help with his recovery." Sam glanced at Dean across the fire and nodded, accepting the suggestion, both of them understanding what Gadreel left unspoken. Wounded omegas were often calmed by the scent of a trusted alpha even more than the presence of their own omega siblings, and it was clear that Gabriel had already begun to bond with the younger Winchester.

Jo nodded, accepting the decision. "Okay, Benny is taking first watch, then Gadreel, then Dean, then me. We're pretty far from the Spellbound border, but there are still skirmishes in the area."

Benny nodded and walked away from the fire, shifting into his black wolf form as he vanished into the trees. He would do a quick patrol before settling in for watch, giving the others time to get settled in for the night. Jo shifted back into form and curled up next to the fire, nose covered by her blonde tail as she slipped into an easy sleep. She had been running with the brothers and Benny for a couple of years, but she still always slept alone, not willing to let the restlessness of the other wolves keep her up all night.

Gadreel and Balthazar shifted back to their wolf forms, already feeling the chilly bite of the winter night. Gabriel sighed and pulled his blanket tighter around his gaunt form, shifting his injured leg into a more comfortable position as he tried to decide where to lay down. Sam slipped back into his clothes and sat down beside the blonde, pulling him into his arms as he leaned up against Dean's mahogany fur. The big alpha rumbled as he curled around his brother and the injured omega, looking up as Castiel returned to his wolf form and settled down on the other side. He rested his head on his paws, grumbling softly as Dean shifted slightly and pushed his head under the omega's chin. Sam chuckled at how adorable they looked, starting as he felt Gabriel curl up tighter in his arms and nuzzle him under the chin. "Goodnight, Sam."

"Goodnight, Gabe."

* * *

Gabriel jerked awake in the middle of the night, whining in terror before the comforting scent of a summer meadow washed over him. He stared into the embers of the campfire for a long time before he registered the strong arms wrapped loosely around his waist and the chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm beneath him. He looked behind Sam and noticed that his twin brother had replaced Dean, the blue in Gadreel's fur barely discernable in the dim firelight. A soft whine from his youngest brother caught Gabriel's attention, and he smiled as he reached out to run his fingers through Castiel's fur. "I'm okay," he whispered, watching as those blue eyes slowly opened, focusing on the blonde. "A little nightmare, that's all."

" _Just don't pull your stitches. I don't think I could watch Sam sew you up again."_

Gabriel shuddered, looking up as Balthazar slowly crawled over and curled up beside Gadreel, leaning forward far enough to rest his head beside his oldest brother. _"Allow me to cast my vote with Cas."_ Gadreel grumbled in agreement, shifting his position slightly to give Balthazar more room to stretch out.

Gabriel tilted his head and rested his hand on Cas's shoulder, pushing slightly to get his brother's attention. "Cassie, what made you change forms with the brothers? I never got a chance to ask you earlier, but I think we all want to know."

" _I, uh, decided that I could trust them."_ Gadreel growled, and Cas chuckled. _"Yeah, yeah, I know. You want the full story. I heard them talking about our past, about Michael intending to mate me off to Uriel, and Dean was furious. Like actually, genuinely angry on my behalf, and I knew that we could trust them. No one has ever cared about us before, except Anna on some rare occasions, and yet these strangers really do. So I, uh, told them. About us."_

Gabriel stiffened in Sam's arms, watching Gadreel and Balthazar reacting the same way. "You _told_ them? Cas, how could you?!"

" _I had to!"_ Cas raised his head and glared at his brother, blue eyes sparking in the dim light. _"I told them the real reason we ran, I told them about how Michael has starved us, and I told them about the prophecy. They have accepted us into their band and promised us protection, and they deserve to know the challenges associated with that."_

" _Brother, it is not a good idea. Our own brother would kill us if he knew about our secret. He may know already, but hopefully Anna kept it to herself."_

" _Anna did, Gad, trust me. She might have been willing to go along with selling us off to Michael's favorite alphas, but she wouldn't sign our death sentence like that. Anyway, Dean just said that he hoped we liked him enough not to destroy his pack."_

Balthazar chuckled, flicking his blue eyes up to Cas. _"And I imagine that you do like him enough, am I right?"_

" _Hush, Balthy. I don't have the time to like anyone right now. And even we don't know what the prophecy means."_

" _You changed forms for him. He knows what an act of trust that was."_

Cas sent his brothers the mental equivalent of a soft smile, resting his head back on his paws. _"He called me beautiful. In five years of Michael parading alphas before us, none of them have ever commented on my physical appearance, just my submissiveness or my ability to breed pups. It felt good."_

Gabriel chuckled and leaned back into Sam's arms, readjusting his blanket and closing his eyes. "Never thought you'd fall so easily, Cassie."

" _Never thought I'd find someone worth falling for."_

* * *

Castiel woke slowly, the scent of baked fish teasing his nose. He whined and opened his eyes to find that it was morning, rising to his feet and stretching muscles held too long in one position. Instinctively, he looked around for his brothers, spotting Gadreel and Balthazar sitting to one side in human form, cleaning fish and conversing with Benny, while Gabriel was sitting near the tree eating one of the fish that had already been cooked, nodding emphatically at Jo as Sam checked his bandages.

Seeing that all of his brothers were safe, Cas shifted to human form and headed for the supplies piled near the tree, taking a few gulps from the nearest water skin before returning to the fire. Dean checked one of the fish roasting over the flames, lifting it free as the omega reached him. "Morning, sunshine," he greeted, smiling at Cas's blush.

"Morning, Dean."

"Hungry? Balthazar is a better fisher wolf than I would have guessed."

"I can see that." Cas's stomach growled at the smell of the fish, not giving him any option but to accept his breakfast. Finding a reasonably comfortable spot by the fire, he dug into the meal, calling on every ounce of his self-control to eat at a normal speed.

"Sleep well?"

Cas nodded, pausing to pick a few small bones out of the fish. "Yes, surprisingly. Gabe had a nightmare and we all spoke for a bit, but I fell asleep pretty easily after that." He finished his meal as he watched Dean propping two more fish over the fire, unable to pull his eyes away from that flaky white flesh.

"Still hungry?"

"I am, but aren't you going to eat something?"

"Had some fruit earlier; I'm good." Dean handed a second fish over to the omega, frowning when the raven-haired man hesitated. The alpha reached out and rested one callused palm on Cas's cheek, forcing the gaunt man to look up at him. "Hey, Cas, you have to let me take care of you. I know that you're worried about us, but my band can go without food a lot longer than you and your brothers. We have a long run ahead of us, and you really need your strength. Just eat up and don't you fret about me. I'll be okay."

Cas nodded and accepted the fish, gratefully digging in. He could sense his brothers watching his interaction with Dean curiously, but he ignored them and continued to eat. The omegas each managed three fish, packing away as much as they could after Dean's warning that they might not stop until dark. They cleaned up the camp and shifted forms, Sam climbing up onto Dean's back with Gabriel while the others moved into their pack position. Cas made one change in the positioning of his pack mates, taking the position to Dean's right while Gadreel took the rear guard in front of Benny. Sam smiled at the new pattern, glancing at the blonde in his arms and nodding toward the black wolf. Gabe nodded, confirming his suspicions, wrapping his free arm tightly around Sam's neck as the pack took off.

They ran through the day and into the night, only stopping for quick water breaks before taking off again. Sam wouldn't let them slow down, a deep fear building inside him the closer they got to the eastern compound. He could sense that there was something wrong with the omega in his arms, some weakening of the grip around his neck or a slight dullness in those gold eyes, but when he looked harder everything seemed fine. A couple of hours after night fell, Sam finally nudged Dean's side with his knee, asking him to call for a break. They had covered a lot of ground and should be able to make it to the splinter pack before sunset the next day.

Sam slipped off of Dean's back, smiling at Gabriel's running list of complaints about being carried like a baby and treated like he was going to break at any minute. Cas shifted back to human form and helped pull the supplies off Gadreel's waist, shaking his head at his oldest brother's antics. Sam leaned down and settled the blonde at the base of a nearby tree, frowning as the omega hissed in pain. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know. My leg hurts all of a sudden." Gabe winced as his left foot touched the ground, fighting the urge to pull back and cause himself even more pain. "It kind of burns, you know?"

"Hmm, that shouldn't be happening. Everything looked alright this morning. Let me get your pants off and I'll check it out."

Gabe grinned as Balthazar groaned, the younger wolf working on the hole for the fire. "Never thought you'd ask to get in my pants, Samshine."

"That's not my name," the taller man corrected, popping the buttons holding the wool pants up and sliding them down Gabe's legs. As soon as they were past his knees, Sam froze, staring at the omega's left leg and slowly clenching his fist in fury. "Son of a bitch."

"What? What's wrong?" Gabriel tried to lean forward to see his leg, but Cas appeared beside him and pushed him back down, growling an order.

Sam waved Dean over, gently touching two fingers to the bandages on the inside of Gabe's leg, just barely able to discern a green tinge through the white fabric. He sighed raggedly, running one hand over his face as he sat back and looked up at his brother. "The wound is poisoned."

"What?!" Gabriel tried to lean forward again, but Cas pushed him back harder, Balthazar joining him to keep their brother still while Gadreel joined Sam to look over the wound.

"Dean, I don't have anything to treat this. You know Asmodeus; he likes to coat his claws with rare Spellbound poisons when he goes to war, and I don't have any antidotes here. Tasha might, but I have no idea how long it will take to spread."

"Why didn't you see this before?"

"I'm sorry, Gabriel, I should have. I know how that bastard fights. But this wasn't war, and you aren't alphas. I thought, as an omega, the most he would want would be to take you for his mate, so why would he poison you?"

"Sam?" Gabriel whined, struggling against his brothers' hold to meet the alpha's eyes.

Sam took a deep breath to calm himself, reaching out to cup Gabriel's cheek in his hand. "Tasha used to be a member of Spellbound Pack; she'll recognize this poison and know how to treat it. We just have to get to her, as soon as possible."

Dean shook his head. "Sam, we've been running all day. I'm beat, the boys are beat, and our pack is in no condition to run through the night."

"I am."

"What?"

"Dean, I've been riding all day, just zoning out and keeping Gabe comfortable. I'm not tired, and I think I could make the compound by dawn if I run all night."

"And who is going to hold him on your back? Dude, the rest of us are bone-dead tired." Dean reached out to loosen the bandages around Gabriel's waist, Sam helping to remove the rest of the dressing so they could get a better look at the wound. Balthazar went white as a sheet and turned away, burying his face in Gadreel's shoulder as Castiel took over the task of holding Gabriel down and blocking any view of his leg.

Jo took a spot near Gabriel's leg as soon as Gadreel moved his distraught brother away to the fire and out of the way of the healing. "That looks bad, Dean," Jo murmured to the brothers, setting out the medical kit where Sam could reach it. The wounds, which had been pink and healthy-looking that morning, were now green, swollen, and leaking pus. The veins snaking across his upper leg were tinted green, the color reaching down to his knee and winding up above his waist. Sam leaned down and sniffed, his face twisting at that rotten apple scent that was now so obvious with the bandages gone.

"Dammit, I smelled this. I knew something was off with Gabe's scent all day, but I would never have suspected poison."

"You have been on edge all day," Jo replied, gingerly touching near the poisoned skin, moving closer systematically until Gabe groaned and tried to pull away. "It's spreading rapidly."

Sam whined low in his throat, his own scent spiking with fear. He had seen the victims of Spellbound poisons, especially the ones that Asmodeus used, and he was terrified that he was going to lose the blonde omega. Cas's scent darkened with fear in response, bright blue eyes meeting Dean's emerald green in supplication. "I can't lose my brother," he whispered.

Dean nodded. "Okay, we'll take care of him. I promised that we would get all of you to safety, and that is what we will do. But who can hold Gabriel on Sam's back?"

"I could do it," Gadreel offered, still comforting his younger brother by the fire.

"Have you ever ridden another wolf before?" The omega shook his head, golden eyes pinched with worry. "You can't be the one to do it, Gadreel. I know you love your brother and want to help, but you can't ride and you won't be able to hear Sam give you directions and support in human form. When he's on my back, I talk to him constantly so that he can be prepared for whatever we are heading into. Without that assistance, you'll fall off."

Benny approached the prone omega, crooning tenderly as he rested a hand on Gabriel's cheek, gentle support in his pale blue eyes. Gabriel whined softly, slowly calming as the beta rubbed his cheek. Despite his size and battle prowess, the beta had a soothing scent and presence, and even this omega who had known him less that two days slowly relaxed. He reached up and grabbed Benny's shoulder, golden eyes pale. "I'm cold," he whispered.

Sam jerked at the words, an icy shock rushing through his veins. Gabriel hadn't been cold sitting chest-deep in a glacier-fed stream in the middle of winter, but now he was shivering just a few feet from the fire. This poison was worse than he thought.

And then Benny made the decision for all of them. "Jo, help Sam get the boy's leg cleaned up and bandaged as best you can. If we have extra clothes, get him bundled up. I'll ride Sam and carry him, and we'll get to the compound before dawn." He grabbed for the pack to find his own change of clothes, knowing that he would need protection from the nighttime chill.

Jo and Sam rinsed the wound as best they could, applying the new bandages over a layer of pine pitch salve that would hopefully suck some of the poison out and maybe stop it from spreading. The shoulder wound wasn't infected, not that Sam had expected it to be, but they checked it quickly before slipping a shaking Gabe back into his pants. The tallest alpha divested himself of his clothing and helped Benny slip his larger pants over Gabe's, doing the same with his shirt and vest. Benny wrapped the trembling omega in their one blanket, swinging the medical kit and a water skin over his shoulder before nodding at Sam.

Dean grabbed Sam's arm above the elbow, waiting for his brother to grasp his arm back before leaning forward and touching foreheads. "Take care of yourself, Sammy."

"Of course." The younger brother pulled away, shifting into his brown wolf form and nodding toward Benny. The beta climbed up onto his back, Dean handing Gabriel to him as Sam rose to his feet. Glancing over his shoulder to make sure that his cargo was secure, Sam crouched down and pushed off, jumping into a run and disappearing into the trees.

Dean turned back to his now-smaller pack, watching as Jo moved to comfort the two omegas still holding each other near the fire. Castiel stared off into the trees, one part of him saying that he needed to follow Gabriel, make sure that he was okay, while the other part urged him to stay and protect his other two brothers. Recognizing that same struggle that he himself had just gone through, Dean stepped forward and pulled the raven-haired man into a tight hug.

Cas reached up and wrapped his arms around the alpha, his chin resting on Dean's shoulder as he closed his eyes and sighed. "Thank you."

"It's hard being the pack leader sometimes," Dean replied, running his hand up and down Cas's back in a soothing motion. "Sam will take care of him."

"I know."

* * *

Sam had never been so glad in his life for the training exercises his father had forced him to participate in, especially the endurance races against dozens of members of his pack. He and Dean would usually win, both of them able to run at full speed for hours with only the briefest of breaks. The weight on his back slowed him somewhat, but he refused to let his weakness be the cause of Gabriel's death. No matter what it cost him, he would save the omega.

Sam kept up a running commentary on the terrain for Benny's sake, letting him know when to expect direction changes, jumps, and speed fluctuations. With his human senses, Benny couldn't see well enough in the dark to predict the wolf's reactions, so he was grateful for every warning.

As they reached a huge field between two dark forests, Sam paused to sniff the air, looking for intruders or dangers on the open plain, his ears perking up as he caught the scent of a deer. He hadn't had anything to eat in a day and a half other than a few slightly sour winter fruit, and his stomach took that moment to remind him how hungry he was. _"Benny, I've scented a deer."_

"Good find this time of year, brother. Shall we go for it?"

" _We shouldn't stop . . ."_

"You're hungry, I'm hungry, and Gabriel is hungry. We could all use a quick bite before we head on, especially since we didn't get time for supper."

"What does he smell?" Gabriel gripped Benny tightly as the beta dismounted, watching the brown alpha move forward, nose in the wind.

"It's a deer, cher, and a welcome meal at that. He thinks he's stronger than he is, but some meat will do him good. He doesn't sense any predators or rival wolves, so I'm going to set you down against this tree where you'll be safe." Suiting actions to words, Benny helped the omega find a comfortable spot, placing the back of his hand on Gabe's forehead for a moment to check his temperature. It was up slightly from when they left camp, but not at fever level yet. "The deer is close, he says, but it will be easier to corner it with two wolves so I'm going with him. We'll be back before you know it."

Gabriel nodded and pulled his blanket tightly around his shoulders, taking the medical pack and supplies that Benny had been wearing. "Okay, I'll wait."

Benny stripped out of his clothes and shifted, following Sam out across the plain and vanishing into the tall grasses almost instantly. A few moments later, much sooner than Gabriel had been expecting, he heard a quick growl and a _thump_ , the kill quick, clean, and surprisingly silent. The wolves dragged the deer carcass back to Gabe's tree, Sam shifting back to human and digging through the supply bag for a knife. He helped Benny remove two of the legs, skinning them both before tossing one to the red-striped black wolf and carrying the other over to Gabe's tree.

"We don't have time for a fire, so I hope you can stomach some raw meat." Sam sliced off a few decent-sized strips, grabbing some large leaves from the tree overhead to use as makeshift plates.

Gabe nodded and accepted the offering, digging into his meat with gusto. Sam chuckled as he shifted back to wolf form, tearing giant chunks of meat off of his leg and practically swallowing them whole. As soon as all three were done, the wolves rubbed their bloody muzzles clean and shifted back, hoisting the buck's carcass into the branches of the tree Gabe was leaning against. "Dean and the others will come through here in a few hours," Benny explained, repacking the supplies and swinging the rope over his chest. "They'll make quick work of this, and they'll know that we made it this far safely."

"How much longer?"

"Three hours at most," Sam replied lifting Gabe's chin and examining his face. "What's wrong? Is it worse?"

The omega nodded, dropping his eyes to the ground. "It feels like my leg is on fire, but I can't move it anymore."

"Well, time we moved on, then. Don't worry, Tasha will have an antidote."

Less than two hours later, Benny felt Gabriel's arms fall away from his shoulders, the omega whining softly. "Benny, I can't . . . my head hurts and I can't . . . it's so dark. I'm so tired."

"Don't you fall asleep now, you hear? You need to stay awake until we get to Tasha."

Gabriel nodded against his chest, the movement weak and uncoordinated. "I'm trying. It's so hard. I just wish I had been stronger, that I could have defeated Asmodeus on my own."

"It's a miracle you lasted as long as you did. He is ruthless, worse than some of the Spellbound alphas we've faced. And I promise you, cher, Sam is going to tear that bastard to shreds for what he did to you."

"I want to be the one who does it," Gabriel whispered. He shivered and tried to pull himself closer to the beta, but he was losing strength by the minute and he couldn't manage to do it. "I want him to know what it feels like to be helpless."

"Ok, you'll do that. As soon as you are healed."

Gabriel nodded as his eyes drifted closed and his entire body went limp.

" _Benny?"_

"He's unconscious, brother, and he's burning up. I think the poison is starting to tear into him."

Sam growled and stretched his legs out farther, running faster than he ever thought he could. The splinter pack had built their compound on the edge of a small lake between two of the large forests, so as soon as Sam scented water he began to howl. He called with his wolf voice and his mind, one word over and over again. _"Help!"_

And, finally, as he cleared the last of the trees and caught sight of that crystal-clear lake shining in the dawn sun, he heard a response. _"I can help."_

Four wolves met him on the forest side of the lake, the calico-colored omega female in the lead carrying a bulky medical bag which she slipped out of as soon as she reached the brown alpha. Sam shifted back into human form and took Gabe from Benny, worried hazel eyes meeting calm, professional purple. The slender, dark-skinned omega exuded a calming jasmine-lavender scent, her entire demeanor encouraging tranquility. "What happened?"

Sam helped her settle Gabriel on the ground, unwinding his blanket and stripping him out of the two layers of clothes to reach his bandages. The green tint of the poison had reached halfway up his chest, tainted veins clawing for his heart. Sam let himself take a deep breath, appreciating Tasha's gentle unflappability as he tried to decide the most concise way to explain Gabriel's situation. "It's a Spellbound poison, one of Asmodeus's. There was no sign of infection until late yesterday morning, when I started to scent a slight rotten apple overtone, which got stronger as the day passed."

Tasha opened her medical bag, quickly pulling out a bowl and multiple packets of ingredients before removing the last of the bandages and laying two fingers beside the oozing wound. Her son, who shared her magical prowess, crouched behind her and placed one hand on Tasha's shoulder, the other hovering over Gabriel's wound. Their purple eyes glowed in the morning light as they whispered something in an ancient language known only to powerful Spellbound witches, diagnosing the wound.

When Tasha finally spoke, her soft words were cautiously optimistic. "Yes, I know this group of poisons. They can be pretty nasty, but none of them are truly deadly." Sam released a breath he hadn't known he was holding at those words, settling back on his haunches. "However, they all have some pretty bad side-effects that can be permanent if not treated quickly enough. If it only manifested a day ago, we may have caught it in time."

Her purple-eyed son, the omega Max, reached into the pile for two small blue bags, one marked with a water symbol and the other marked with fire. He handed the water one to his twin sister Alicia, an alpha who shared his dark skin but had more blue to her eyes than purple, and she nodded as she headed for the lake to get water for tea.

Asa Fox, the red-headed pack leader of this splinter group and a well-respected alpha in his own right, shifted out of his wolf form and started digging a shallow hole for the fire. Benny headed back to the trees to gather some deadwood for it, Sam holding Gabriel's right hand tightly as he watched the healers work, whispering his name in what he hoped was a comforting tone.

Max poured the powdered contents of his blue bag into the bowl his mother had pulled out of her bag earlier, reaching for a small stick as soon as the fire was started properly. He lit the end of his stick in the flames, blowing it out until an ember glowed at the end, tapping the stick on the edge of the bowl to drop charcoal into his mixture. As soon as he had enough, Max added a tiny amount of water to the bowl of powdered herbs and charcoal, handing it to his mother.

Tasha, meanwhile, had cleaned the wounds, breaking a few stitches on each gash to allow for drainage. She took the herbal ointment from her son and liberally applied it across all of the gashes, making sure that some of it got into each wound where it could reach the blood stream. Thankfully, Gabriel was still unconscious, otherwise her ministrations would have caused him a great deal of pain. She had Sam move the unconscious omega into a sitting position and hold him so she could dribble some of Alicia's restorative tea into his mouth, pleased that he was able to swallow even while unconscious.

"Max, work your magic."

The teenager moved his hand to place it over Gabriel's heart, purple eyes glowing with an inner fire as he used his powers to speed the blonde's healing. Slowly, reluctantly, the green veins retreated from Gabe's chest, pulling back until only the skin around the wound still carried that poisonous discoloration. As soon as the blonde omega was out of immediate danger, Tasha pulled her son away and pushed him toward Alicia.

"Is he going to be okay?"

"Yes, Sam, he should be fine in a few days with some rest. We'll put a very loose bandage on the wound for now, and I'll check it every six hours for the next two days. A couple of my healers should be here shortly with a stretcher, and we'll carry him back to the compound."

"And those side-effects?"

"We won't know until he wakes up." Tasha finished bandaging Gabriel's leg, glancing up into Sam's hazel eyes before continuing. "I won't lie; it's a bad sign that he is unconscious. You got him here quickly, and that's good, but I fear that he is not out of the woods yet." She leaned down to sniff the omega's neck where his scent was the strongest, examining the sourness in his aroma and frowning. "Sam, tell me _everything_ about how he received this injury."

"Okay, well, he and his brothers were running away from Celestial lands. They came out of the mountains into the empty plains that border all three pack lands, and were attacked by Lilith, Asmodeus, and Dagon. Jo caught the scent of the fight from the forest and we arrived in time to help chase the three Spellbounds off. I didn't see Asmodeus give him the leg wound, but I did see him bite Gabe's shoulder and throw him on the ground. His brother jumped on Asmodeus's back and forced him to withdraw, and I cleaned and bandaged his wounds."

"Your friend is an omega. Is the brother also an omega?"

"Yeah, he has three omega brothers. They're all with Dean right now, about half a day behind us. I'm not sure if it's relevant, but they were coming out of a heat when we found them."

Tasha frowned pensively, looking up as her two assistant healers arrived from the compound. The two men carefully loaded Gabriel onto the stretcher, covering him with the blanket and tying him in place with a series of ropes to prevent him from falling off on the trip back. Sam gathered all of the discarded clothes and slipped back into his, handing the set that Gabriel had worn back to Benny to be returned to the pack. They followed Asa around the lake and into his town, Sam watching the purple-eyed healer the entire time.

She didn't speak until they reached the main road into the city, Asa stopping to speak with the guards at the gates as the healers continued to the large structure at the top of the hill. Sam and Benny nodded politely at the dozens of people they passes, most of the village already awake and all of them curious about the howls they had heard before dawn. Tasha didn't let anyone ask any questions, leading the boys and her healers up to the hospital wing of her home, waiting until Gabriel was settled into one of the beds before speaking. The ornate building was too large to be called a house, but too small to be a castle, and it was much less imposing than the Winchester Palace in the center of Wilderness lands. Asa and his family had never needed much space, and they liked to stay as close to their people as possible.

"I'm sure you've heard of the poisons that Asmodeus uses in war, especially the debilitating ones that he favors when he fights alphas, but he does have a smaller collection of what he calls 'utility' poisons."

"What are those?"

"Mostly they're for control. They aren't deadly, but they each have a specific side-effect that will be left behind when the victim finally heals. He has one that causes insanity, one that leaves the victim with dulled senses, one that sterilizes, and a series of poisons that cause some mild disabilities. He has taken four or five omegas over the past few years the last I heard, none of them by choice, and none of them were ever capable of escaping."

Sam felt that same chilling terror take hold of him that he had felt when he realized that Gabriel was truly sick. Benny placed a comforting hand on the alpha's shoulder, but it didn't do much good. "Asmodeus has a poison that leaves his victims sterile?"

"Yes, but Asmodeus mixed this poison specifically to use on omegas, so it won't sterilize him. That would defeat the point of taking them for breeders. He won't lose his leg, and I'm sure he'll be up and walking in a week or two. When Lilith and the others scented these four omegas, I'm sure Asmodeus saw his chance to steal one away, hence the poison on his claws."

Sam growled, his eyes flashing red at the thought of that beta touching Gabriel. Tasha waited until Benny calmed his alpha before continuing. "Sam, you have to stay calm for his sake."

Sam closed his green-hazel eyes and hung his head, hatred of that white wolf warring with worry for the omega he had come to care for so much. "Tasha, I need to know what to expect when he wakes up."

"I don't know, honestly. Every one of Asmodeus's omegas were poisoned for days, and they were not treated at all. It's possible that Gabriel will wake up and be fine."

But there was a larger possibility that he would not be fine. Sam heard the unspoken words, and he swallowed, slowly nodding. "Okay." He gestured for Tasha to continue.

"I do have some knowledge of what his poison did to the omegas. I heard that one of them became deathly afraid of open spaces, never able to leave the safety of her room again. One of them went blind and deaf, which even Asmodeus considered to be an extreme reaction to the poison. Another would get vertigo just from standing up, and another completely lost his ability to shift forms. The last one that I know of lost the ability to speak. His vocal cords weren't damaged, but his mind could no longer translate his thoughts into coherent words, in any form. None of them lasted long enough to even bear Asmodeus one pup."

Sam clenched his fists, furious at the thought of the white beta mutilating and abusing those omegas to the point where they would take their own lives, and equally terrified about Gabriel suffering from one of those conditions. "Tasha, what can we do?"

"I've done everything I can. Max and I are powerful witches as far as the Wilderness Pack goes, but a mental disability is beyond our skills."

Benny caught something in those words, some slight waver in the omega's tone, and he leaned forward curiously. "Something tells me that you know a witch who might have that power."

The omega slowly nodded, her purple eyes dark. "Yes, maybe, but there is no guarantee that she will help, even if she can. Rowena is unpredictable—"

"Rowena? The mother of the Head Alpha of Spellbound Pack?"

"The same, Sam. She is the strongest, most remarkable witch I know, and her protégé is shaping up to be a formidable power in her own right. You know that we have dealings with my family, and we are due to meet with a couple of wolves as soon as the river freezes over. If it becomes necessary, I am willing to send a message to her at that meeting."

Sam nodded, glancing at the blonde sleeping peacefully in the bed nearby. "If it turns out he has one of those side-effects, I'm going to ask for her help."

Benny sighed and shook his head. "Brother, you realize that she is part of the same pack that caused this injury in the first place."

"Cain's pack broke off decades ago, Benny," Sam argued. "Rowena is part of the main pack, and I have heard that they don't get along with the splinter pack very well. Maybe she'll help Gabe, omega to omega."

Tasha sighed. "Maybe. I don't know. Let me go talk to Asa, let him know that we have more visitors coming. Your band is two more, plus Gabriel's three brothers?"

"Yeah." Tasha stood and headed out of the room, glancing over her shoulder at the young alpha staring at the single occupied bed. "Why don't you stay here and keep him company until he wakes? My apprentices will be in and out, so if you need something let them know."

"Okay. Thank you, Tasha, for everything."

* * *

Sam had pulled his chair up beside Gabriel's bed hours ago, holding the omega's right hand in his and running his fingers through his blonde hair in what he hoped was a comforting gesture. Gabriel's forehead was cooler, his fever having finally broken, and Sam hoped that meant he would wake up soon. Benny had left soon after Tasha, knowing that the alpha needed to be alone, but he had come back once to check on them before vanishing again.

Six hours after they arrived, Tasha and Max returned to change Gabriel's bandages, pleased at the lack of green along the gashes. Sam accepted some water but refused food, content to sit silently by Gabriel's bedside and breathe in his scent. Two hours later, he heard his brother's howl, smiling as he raised Gabe's hand to his lips.

"Our brothers have come," he murmured. "Yours are going to be so happy that you're okay."

The blonde twitched but otherwise remained unresponsive, his breathing slow and steady. Dean and Cas entered the hospital wing twenty minutes later, both wearing clothes that had clearly been donated by Asa and his family. Cas walked over to his brother's bed and sat down opposite Sam, leaning down to breathe in Gabriel's scent and assure himself that the blonde was alright. Dean chuckled, resting one hand on Sam's shoulder.

"He's been a wreck since you left. We took off at dawn, and we ran as fast as we could, but we still took eight hours to get here. Thanks for the breakfast, by the way; we didn't take any time to hunt this morning."

"Yeah, I figured."

"Tell us about the poison, Sammy. Tasha said that it's pretty much gone, but I could tell that there was something she didn't want to tell us."

Sam glanced at the door, reaching over to touch Cas's arm and get his attention. "Where are Gadreel and Balthazar?"

"Max is getting them some clothes. I told them not to come in here."

"Good. It's best we don't scare them." He scented Cas's spike of fear, eyes widening when Dean walked around the bed and pulled up a chair, wrapping one arm around the raven-haired omega. The Celestial calmed instantly, blue eyes rising to meet Sam's hazel. "He's not going to die, he's not in any danger anymore, so you don't have to worry. However, Tasha said that she has seen this class of poison before; Asmodeus uses it to cripple omegas so he can take them home, force them to breed."

Cas straightened at that, growling as his eyes flashed, just barely containing his wolf. He shrunk down as Dean replied with a growl of his own, the alpha's voice deeper and more commanding, the taller man using his dominance to calm the younger wolf. Sam leaned forward and met Cas's eyes, smiling reassuringly. "Cas, that didn't happen, okay? You chased Asmodeus off, and we got the poison cured. Tasha said that all of the instances she heard of were of omegas who had to suffer the full effects of the poison, not ones that were cured so quickly. We aren't even sure if Gabriel will have any lasting side-effects."

"And if he does?"

"Then we'll deal. We'll think of something. But I have no intention of abandoning him, no matter what happens, and he has all of you, too. He's going to be okay."

Cas took a deep, steadying breath and offered Sam a weak smile. "Thank you, for everything you did. Bringing him here, getting him help; I couldn't have done that."

"That's what a pack does. We help each other."

"You consider us part of your pack? Not just visitors, but members?"

Sam nodded. "Yeah, I do. Benny does, too, or he wouldn't have ridden all night with your brother in his arms on my back. He _hates_ riding, and I've been told that I have a very bumpy gait, so it couldn't have been comfortable."

"Tell me about it," Dean groaned. "You're like a giant, uncoordinated puppy. I swear you still haven't even grown into your paws, and you're twenty-two years old!"

"Benny hates riding?" Cas's eyes widened as he looked down at his brother, tears in his eyes. "And yet he still volunteered? I don't know what to say."

"I do," Dean replied, glancing at his brother for approval before holding his right arm out to the Celestial. Cas slowly reached out and wrapped his fingers around Dean's arm just below his elbow, smiling as the alpha grabbed his arm back. The scent glands on their wrists weren't the strongest on their bodies, but they were strong enough to exchange pheromones and mark Cas as a member of Dean's band. "Welcome to the pack."

Sam reached out and clasped Cas's arm the same way, grinning widely. "Welcome to the pack."

* * *

Gabriel woke just before dawn, cuddled between Sam and Gadreel. They had pulled a bed up on either side of his, the alpha with his arm wrapped under Gabriel's neck and the omega with his head on his twin's chest. The blonde, careful not to disturb his sleeping companions, lifted the blanket scrunched around his waist, rolling his eyes as he realized that he was _still_ completely naked even though Gadreel had clearly been provided with suitable clothing. He opened his mouth to protest this treatment, freezing as he realized that he couldn't speak, his voice stuck in his throat. He couldn't even whimper.

Gabriel's fear scent woke Sam first, Gadreel stirring moments later. His wild golden eyes met Sam's concerned hazel, and he struggled again against the steel bands in his throat. Panicked, he moved to rise, but both men carefully but forcefully restrained him.

"Hey, Gabe, it's okay. Calm down." The blonde shook his head, struggling against the light restraint, his fear souring his scent even more as Gadreel climbed half on top of him, forcing him to stay still. Sam's soothing voice didn't change, even as Gabriel's fear spiked. "Gabe, you're still injured, and if you pull those stitches your brother will kill you. Calm down so I can explain what's going on."

Slowly, forcing himself to control his breathing, Gabriel relaxed, looking up at Gadreel as his brother moved back. The two taller men were both sitting up, Sam slipping a hand under Gabe's back to help him into the same position. Gadreel tucked an extra pillow behind him and pulled the blanket up, making sure he was comfortable. "Brother, you need to do everything you can to stay calm," Gadreel murmured. "If you could lay there without moving while Sam sewed your wounds closed, you can do this. Okay?"

Gabriel nodded, turning to face the alpha. Sam smiled, cupping Gabe's cheek in his hand. "We were able to get the poison cured, so you don't have to worry about that. It seems like you can see and hear just fine; did you feel any vertigo when you sat up?" Gabriel shook his head once. "That's good, really good. Can you speak?" Gabriel's face fell and he slowly shook his head; he couldn't even make his lips form the letters.

Sam sighed, somehow holding onto his composure. "Well, we got the poison cured really fast, and we think that this could be a temporary side-effect. Tasha will be here just after dawn, and we'll let her look you over, okay?" Gabriel slowly nodded, fighting against the tears he could feel welling up in his eyes. He had always been the most outspoken of his brothers, always been their voice, and now he was silenced. He thought back to that fight with Asmodeus, at that dark desire in his yellow eyes, and he knew that he should have been faster, somehow. He should have avoided that attack or trained more before they ran away.

Sam's hand on his cheek tightened, the alpha forcing him to look up. "Gabe, there's nothing you could have done to prevent this. Don't beat yourself up over what happened." He glanced up at Gadreel, catching the omega's gaze. "Trust me, all of your brothers have been doing that enough today. There are much worse side-effects you could have gotten from this." Gabe offered Sam a skeptical frown. "Tasha has heard of this poison family making omegas go blind or deaf, get permanent, crippling vertigo, become severely agoraphobic, and lose the ability to shift forms." Gabe's eyes widened at the last one, and he started to reach for his wolf, to make sure that he had not suffered that one. "Don't you dare," Sam growled, his eyes flashing with his own wolf. The omega shrunk back, unable to disobey that alpha tone.

"I'm sorry, but you can't test that one yet. Your wounds have not healed. If it makes you feel better, your scent is still the same, so I don't think you lost your wolf."

Yeah, that did make him feel better. Gabriel relaxed, grabbing his Sam's arm gratefully as he turned and touched his forehead to Gadreel's, desperate for comfort from his twin. "I'm just glad you're okay, Brother," Gadreel whispered. "Everything else we will handle."


	3. Broken

Chapter 3: Broken

* * *

"How is he?"

Sam sighed and ran his hands over his face, struggling to compose himself before he spoke. "He's always had so much energy . . . I know it sounds ridiculous since I've only known him for a short time, but he's, I don't know, dimmer. He's trying so hard to be happy for his brothers' sakes, but I'm so worried about him."

Dean frowned, glancing up as a trio of betas passed them on the way to the lake, waiting until they were alone again before speaking. "Sam, I get that this is traumatizing for him, but he only lost his voice. He isn't deaf or blind or anything."

"Dean, did you listen to him at all while we were riding here?"

The older alpha tilted his head, shrugging slightly. "Not really. I mean, I heard you two talking constantly but when my wolf gets focused I kinda ignore extraneous noise."

"Yeah, I figured. Well, Gabe and I talked pretty much non-stop on the way here, and he told me all about his childhood and how he felt when his father left, and how he was always expected to look out for his younger siblings. He was kind of the voice of the omegas, taking their fears and concerns to their parents and making sure that they got the attention they needed in a family that big. When Castiel started fighting with Raphael and Michael, Gabriel tried to play peacekeeper but it didn't work. He's the one who went to Anna and asked her to find someone to train them to fight because he was tired of Cas coming to their rooms at night, bleeding and broken."

Dean shook his head, but he stayed silent as Sam walked a few steps away. The taller alpha looked out across the lake and smiled, his hazel eyes taking on a gold hue as he let the scene settle him. "He's the one who found safe places for them to have their heats away from Michael and his scheming, and he's the one who found the route through the mountains. Castiel is their 'alpha', so to speak, because he is the best fighter, but Gabe was the scout and pathfinder, like Jo. He has an eidetic memory, and he was able to find and recognize important landmarks even in the deep snow that had already blanketed the upper slopes when they ran away. Without him, they would have wandered the mountains forever and starved to death."

"Sam, it's great that he took care of them like that, but I still don't understand."

"Dean, it's not that he can't speak. He can't _communicate_. His mind thinks the words, but he can't make any noise, he can't form the sounds with his lips, he can't even write. He tries, and the letters just come out muddled. The poison burned the language center of his brain, and Tasha doesn't know if it will ever heal."

"Have you told him that?"

"How can I? Dean, Tasha said that every omega that Asmodeus has grabbed through the use of this poison has killed themselves. I'm watching him get more and more depressed by the day and I am terrified of what's coming next."

"What do you mean?"

Sam looked back toward his brother, and Dean was shocked to find tears in his gold-hazel eyes. "We're going to have to let him shift sooner or later. When he learns that he can't speak in that form either, there won't be anything I can do to save him."

Dean stared at his younger brother for a long time, the silence between them deafening. "He asked you to court him."

"Yes, that first night. How did you know?"

Dean shrugged. "Jo heard, she let me know. I also know that you told him to ask again when he was healed. Our pack law states that an omega has to be of sound mind and body to request a courtship. I was very proud of you when I heard that you told him that."

"And now he can't ask," Sam whispered, his voice shaking. "I understand what he wants most of the time, and his brothers know him better than he knows himself, but he needs to be able to communicate. I can't lose him, Dean."

"You have only known the man a few weeks, Sammy. You can't be bonding to him yet."

Sam nodded, reaching up to run his fingers through his hair. As an alpha, he had been taught from a young age to control his feelings, to always project an aura of calm, but he had never hidden anything from Dean. And now, feeling a single tear track down his cheek, he needed his brother to understand his heart.

Offering his brother a supportive smile, Dean relented. "What do you want me to do? Tasha said that she can't heal a mind."

"But she knows someone who might be able to."

Dean felt a prickle of warning from his wolf, but he pushed it down and took a steadying breath. "Who, Sammy?"

"Rowena."

" _Ro-we-na?!_ Are you out of your damned mind? Sammy, she is the mother of the head alpha of Spellbound pack and we are the pups of the head alpha of Wilderness. We have been at war for three generations, maybe longer! She won't help him. I wouldn't help her."

Sam offered his brother a shaky smile. "Sure you would. You risked your life and the lives of your pack mates to save a band of half-starved Celestial wolves, even knowing who they were. They needed us, and we helped them, despite this war. She's an omega, not a warrior, and I'm hopeful that she will have compassion for Gabe. She's the only one who has a chance in hell of saving his life. Don't ask me to choose between this endless conflict and him, because you know what I will say."

Dean nodded. "Yeah, Sammy, I know. You've already shown what you will do for him."

Sam just stared at his brother, his eyes pleading as his scent spiked. "Dean, please."

The older alpha sighed and relented, his entire posture relaxing. "Ok, fine, send your message to Rowena. But you better have a Plan B when she says no."

* * *

Tasha finished packing the supplies for her trip, counting water skins and looking through the pile of dried meat her daughter had brought. "Generally I go to the border with two of our betas, sometimes with Max, but we can't take any alphas. I'm not sure we could even bring your beta, since he's from the main pack and that might irritate my contact."

Dean shrugged, watching the flutter of activity in silence for a moment. Max handed his mother a worn leather bag marked with a medical symbol, helping her figure out where to settle it in the main pack. "What about an omega? One of Cas's brothers could go with you."

Max chuckled at that, his purple eyes lighting up at the idea. "Mom, that's perfect. A Celestial omega scent-marked as a member of Wilderness Pack meeting with a Spellbound witch."

"It's not the worst idea I've ever heard," Tasha admitted. "Which of the boys should we take?"

"Balthazar," Dean answered without thinking, taking a moment to silently question his choice as the two witches focused their gazes on him. He felt the sudden need to justify his decision, both to himself and to the omegas before him. "Look, Cas can't go, and Gadreel has been taking shifts with Sam to keep Gabriel calm and grounded. I don't think he can stand to be separated from his twin right now. You'll like Balthazar, and he's a great fisher wolf."

Tasha glanced at her son, who shrugged. "I suppose that will work. Max, go see if Garth is free today to help Balthazar weave some wolf-fur undergarments. Spellbounds may tolerate a lot of things, but nakedness is not one of them."

Max chuckled and dashed away to do his mother's bidding, Dean stepping forward to take his place at the packing table. He checked the leathers straps on the bags in silence, clearly needing to say something. Tasha waited patiently, neatly folding multiple sets of travelling clothes as she gestured for Alicia to find a larger set that would fit Cas's gangly twin.

"Thank you for offering to help with this. I really do want Gabriel to get better."

"I know. I'll do everything I can to convince Rowena to come back with me."

* * *

Tasha scratched her ear with her hind leg, watching as the two betas and Balthazar shifted forms and waited patiently for supplies to be strapped around their waists. Dean had never met either of these betas, Elvis Katz and Bucky Sims, but Asa Fox trusted them with his mate's life so they were clearly dependable. Elvis was slender but wiry, his wolf form grey with white spots on his legs and face, while Bucky was bulky and lighter, his coat a soft cream color with vibrant red paws, tail, and face. He generally took the position of Asa's second, even as Benny had been Dean's second before Sam was old enough to run with the band, though it had been a long time since Asa had left his home. Tasha had admitted that Bucky loved the trips to the Spellbound border, since it let him stretch his legs.

Balthazar's iridescent white fur almost camouflaged him against the fresh snowfall, his tail wagging at the thought of a long, bracing run through the forest. Of the four Celestial omegas, he had always been the most comfortable outdoors, and he had recovered well from their frantic escape from Celestial lands. Dean glanced down as Cas appeared by his side, the raven-haired man clad in a loose cream top and light woolen pants, only a thin vest protecting him from the winter chill. He smiled at Dean before stepping forward, reaching out to embrace his twin and bury his face in the fur around his neck.

"Be careful, Balthy," Cas whispered, pulling back slightly before rubbing his brother's ears affectionately. "I can't lose you, okay?"

" _You never will, Cas. And we won't lose Gabe either. I'll make sure of that."_

"I know you will." Cas returned to Dean's side, letting the alpha reach out to curl an arm around his shoulders as the four wolves found their pack positions and took off. Cas stared into the woods long after they vanished, tears in his eyes that he struggled to contain.

"I'm tired of watching my brothers vanish into the trees," he finally whispered, leaning his head against Dean's shoulder as the alpha pulled him closer. "It was so easy before, when it was just us in our wing of Michael's palace, basically ignored until just before we went into heat. Now one of my brothers is near-suicidal and the other is running off to make a deal with the most powerful Spellbound witch anyone has ever met."

Dean pulled the omega closer, gratified that the man was practically his height. Sam might dream of a mate half his size, but Dean had always wanted someone who could stand beside him as an equal, literally and figuratively. "Maybe you should do something to take your mind off of things for a while. Have you considered flying practice?"

Cas pulled partially away and glared at the Wilderness alpha. "Our wings have to remain a secret, Dean, you know that. We can't just go flying around where Asa's entire pack can see us! Are you insane?"

"Well, no, that's why I asked Tasha about nearby secluded clearings before she left. She told me of one where she and Max go to practice magic, safely away from other wolves, and no one from this pack would dare go within a mile of the place. Max won't be using it with her gone, so she offered it to me for my pack to practice fighting techniques or anything else we need. I thought you and Gadreel might go there while Sam is watching Gabriel, build up your wing muscles. If you have them, you might as well be able to use them."

Cas shrugged and relaxed, leaning against Dean again. "Yeah, I suppose we should. I'll see when Gadreel is free this afternoon and you can show us this clearing."

* * *

Gadreel glanced up as Sam walked across the small garden toward the oblong pond where the two omegas were relaxing, the tall alpha taking the empty chair on Gabriel's right side. Gadreel greeted the brunet, but his twin continued to stare at the half-frozen pond, his golden eyes dull and unresponsive. Tasha had provided him with a wheelchair, his injured leg propped up in front of him and a number of warm, colorful blankets wrapped around his slender form. Sam glanced at the half-eaten meal sitting on the table in front of them, glancing at Gadreel in a question. The tall omega shrugged, standing and placing a hand on Gabriel's shoulder.

"Gabe, I'm going to meet Cas for some training exercises. Sam's going to keep you company, okay? I'll be back tonight."

Gabriel nodded, but otherwise didn't interact with his twin. Gadreel resisted the urge to sigh, unwilling to comment on his brother's melancholy but wishing he had a way to break it. As soon as Gadreel was gone, Sam scooted his chair closer to Gabriel and wrapped his arm around the blonde's shoulders. "You didn't eat much of your lunch."

Gabriel waved his hand dismissively at the food, looking up as Sam caught his hand in his own. "I don't believe you. It's only been a few weeks since your hectic escape through the mountains, and you haven't had enough to eat any day since then. How are you ever going to get better?"

Gabriel sneered and tried to look away, but Sam was used to his mercurial moods by now, so he just reached up and caught the blonde's chin in his hand, gently turning his face back. "Gabe, I know that you are hungry. How are you ever going to heal if you refuse to eat? Tasha said that you might be well enough to start walking soon, as long as you keep improving." Sam lifted the tray of abandoned food off the nearby table and placed it in Gabriel's lap, raising one eyebrow as the omega slowly reached down for his fork.

Sam sat with Gabriel while he reluctantly ate his lunch, telling him the history of this splinter pack and how they had built their city beside the huge lake. Gabriel seemed to be listening, squeezing Sam's wrist when he wanted more clarification about something and tilting his head when there was something he didn't understand. The alpha had begun to learn the omega's body language and unspoken cues, though he sorely missed that jovial, teasing voice. He lapsed into silence as a faint dusting of snow appeared in the air, Gabriel finishing his meal and placing the empty plate back on the table.

"Tasha left a couple of hours ago, taking a couple of her betas and Balthazar to the Spellbound border," Sam began, smiling at Gabriel when he jerked in shock. "There's nothing to worry about. Tasha was originally a Spellbound wolf, from the very minor Banes family, and she still has many friends on that side of the border. They're not in any danger." Gabriel frowned, his eyebrows twitching upward in disbelief. "Gabe, we wouldn't have let your brother go if there was any risk. Despite your experience with Asmodeus, no one in the main Spellbound pack would ever harm an omega."

Gabriel shook his head, accepting the reassurance but still not completely happy with the news. He squeezed Sam's wrist again. "Oh, you want to know why? Sorry, of course. Tasha is going to send a message to one of her old friends in the Spellbound pack, one who may be able to help you. Alphas are not allowed to cross the border, and Benny is too close to the Head Alpha of Wilderness pack, so your brothers were the only ones who could go along with the party. All of them wanted to, but only Balthazar could."

Gabriel tilted his head, glancing over his shoulder where his twin had walked back into the compound, nodding slowly. He understood that Cas couldn't have gone, not as long as he was still holding the position of alpha of his omega brothers, and Gadreel would be reluctant to leave his twin alone, even to go on a mission to save him. Balthazar had been the obvious choice.

"Do you want to go back inside? This snow looks like it's going to get pretty heavy."

Gabriel nodded, reaching down to adjust his blanket as Sam grabbed the handles on the back of his wheelchair and pushed him back into the compound. They were met by Max and one of the healers, the two omegas shooing them into the medical wing so they could check Gabriel's bandages. Sam helped the blonde settle onto his bed, taking a nearby chair as Max removed the bandages under the strict supervision of the older healer. Max had been born with impressive magical abilities, but he still had to learn the mundane, every day healing skills his mother relied on to care for her patients.

The older healer nodded at Gabriel's leg, gently pressing along the edge of the sealed gashes, glancing up to see if the patient felt any discomfort. The blonde shook his head, indicating that there was no pain, already used to being poked and prodded. The healer tested a few places, tapping Max's shoulder and pointing at the wound.

"It looks like we can take the stitches out," Max murmured.

"That's pretty quick, isn't it?"

"Yeah, for a normal wound like this it would be, but the spell I cast, along with Mother's herbs, accelerated his natural healing. I'd like him to try walking a bit before supper, if he's up to it."

Sam looked up at Gabriel, who shrugged and nodded. "Yeah, he says that he is. When can he try?"

"I can take the stitches out now. If there's no complications, he can try to walk around the room a bit, though he will need some help."

Gabriel leaned back against his pillows, watching curiously as Max pulled out a sharp pair of sterile scissors from his cloth bag, glancing at his mentor before carefully cutting through the first suture. Sam kept a loose hold on Gabriel's hand, watching for any flinch or indication of pain, but the omega stayed calm through the entire procedure. He did furrow his brow slightly at the weird tugging feeling when Max pulled the bits of thread out of his skin, but he was never in any actual pain.

Sam leaned forward to examine the long, jagged scars running from Gabriel's hip to his knee, tiny holes on either side of each one marking where the threads had held him together. The holes would close up, but the scars would never fully heal. Sam felt a cold hand clench around his heart at the thought and at the realization that, even if they were able to find a cure for Gabriel's voice, the mark of Asmodeus's cruelty would never fade. The omega reached down and caught Sam's chin in his hand, forcing him to look up and meet those dark golden eyes. Gabriel smiled and ran his fingers through Sam's longer hair, the gesture soothing him and answering his concerns at the same time. Gabriel was choosing not to be ashamed of the scars.

Max packed his supplies away, moving to the same side of the bed as Sam and helping Gabriel turn toward them. "Okay, we'll take it slow at first. Sam and I will support you, so put as much pressure on your leg as you can without hurting yourself. If you feel any pain, we'll stop."

Gabriel nodded, Sam moving to his left side and slipping his arm around the blonde's waist. Gabriel slung his arm over Sam's shoulder, twining his fingers with Sam's free hand and squeezing gently to announce that he was ready. Max took his position on Gabriel's uninjured side, both of them helping the shorter blonde off of the bed.

Gabriel took a deep breath before placing the ball of his bare left foot on the ground, putting pressure on that leg for the first time in weeks, the older healer watching the flexing of his thigh muscles carefully. The young omega placed the heel of his foot on the ground and leaned into it, releasing his breath as he stood completely under his own power.

"Are you okay?"

"He's not in any pain," Sam answered, smiling as Gabriel looked up at him. "Let's try a couple of steps, okay? Right foot first."

Gabriel nodded and shifted his weight, leaning on his left leg as he swung his right one forward. Sam took a step of his own as Gabriel moved his left leg forward, the trio managing three full steps before the scarred leg began to tremble. The older healer ordered the blonde back to bed, unwilling to stress those muscles out too quickly, checking the wounds for any tearing as soon as the omega was lying down again. As soon as he was convinced that Gabriel was settled, the healer and Max left, ordering Sam not to allow a repeat of the experiment until the morning.

"How does it feel?"

Gabriel shrugged, reaching down to run his fingers over the skin he had not been able to see or touch for weeks. The wound on his shoulder had healed faster, though he would always have that crooked circle of scars, but he couldn't see that easily. Because of the length and position of his wounds, he had not been able to wear any underwear, just loose pants over his bandages, and he suddenly felt self-conscious about his nudity.

"Hey, what are you thinking about?" Sam reached out and grabbed Gabriel's hands, holding them as he leaned forward and touched foreheads with the omega.

Gabriel gestured at his distinct lack of clothing, freeing one hand to wave it at Sam's shirt and pants before turning his face away. "Oh, I actually have some clothes here for you. Now that you don't need those bandages anymore, you should be able to wear them."

Sam walked over to the table and the pile of supplies and clothes piled haphazardly there. He had pretty much moved into the medical ward while Gabriel was recovering, while the other members of their pack split their time between their guest rooms and the bed pulled up beside Gabriel's. The young omega hadn't been alone for even one moment in weeks, and the hospital wing's cold, sterile scent had taken on an aroma that was a strange mixture of Sam's pack and Gabriel's, with the blonde's sweet gardenia scent and the alpha's spring meadow overriding everything else. The healers had tried not to disrupt the scent too much, knowing that it was some comfort to the healing Celestial.

Sam returned with a pair of light cream colors pants, heavy enough for the winter chill outside, a light green shirt with white flowers embroidered along the hems of the long sleeves, and a mid-weight deerskin leather vest. He also handed over a light pair of cotton shorts, smiling gently as Gabriel took the pile of folded clothes. "Once Max clears you for shifting forms, we'll collect some of your fur and make you a decent pair of under shorts, but these will have to do for now."

He helped Gabriel scoot to the edge of the bed and slip into the shorts and pants, handing him the shirt as he continued to speak. Sometimes the two of them could sit peacefully in perfect silence, but Sam always seemed to know when the quiet became too much and Gabriel needed to hear his voice. "Garth actually managed to get enough fur combed out of your brothers to make them all wolf fur undergarments, though they look more like loincloths than shorts. I think it makes them all feel better, though, being able to switch forms around so many people without ending up naked. One day you'll have to tell me why you guys didn't have any already."

Gabriel nodded, leaning back against his pillow. He could make Sam understand simple things, but that story was way beyond nonverbal communication. Gabriel's eyes glazed over as he thought back to his time in his brother's palace, the times Michael had deprived them of food, the times when Michael had thrown them out into the wilderness for days at a time to punish them for not acting like "proper omegas", and the time when Michael had taken all of their wolf fur undergarments and ordered the spinners not to help them make any more. Their brother had thought he could shame the four of them into submission or prevent them from shifting, but they had simply made a pact not to ever be embarrassed to be seen naked after shifting out of wolf form. Eventually, it had worked.

But Sam and Dean and their pack had given Gabriel and his brothers back their lives, their strength, and their dignity. He wished he could tell Sam how much all of this meant to them, especially the wolf fur shorts, but he couldn't make a sound. Tears filled his eyes as he pulled his knees up to his chest and leaned into them, silent sobs wracking his form. He felt Sam's strong arms wrap around him and hold him close, and he shifted slightly to let the alpha comfort him. Sam didn't say anything, knowing that words couldn't make the silent omega feel better, hoping that his scent and his hand rubbing circles on Gabriel's back would help calm him down.

It did work, eventually. As soon as Gabriel regained his composure, he pulled back, smiling at the ridiculous way Sam had perched his huge frame on the edge of the bed. "You're so strong, Gabriel," Sam whispered, gently kissing the omega's head as he returned to his chair. "I'm so proud of you, I hope you know that. We're going to get through this, no matter what."

* * *

Dean led the other three wolves to the secluded clearing, following Tasha's scent markers deep into the woods west of the city. Snow had started falling almost as soon as they left the palace, but the two omegas were unwilling to call off their training exercise. Dean had packed some food, clothes, and a blanket, Gadreel carrying the pack as he had on their trip south, Benny in his usual rear guard position. The big beta had asked to come watch the omegas fly, his blue eyes never leaving Gadreel's face as he made the request. Cas had agreed, exchanging an amused glance with Dean at the beta's growing closeness with his brother.

When they finally reached the clearing, Benny and Dean staked out an observation spot in the shade of one of the largest trees, finding a dry log to sit on and digging a pit for their fire. The two Celestials might not feel the cold, but their Wilderness counterparts appreciated the warmth. Dean pulled out clothing for both of them, and they settled back to watch the two wolves stretch their wings.

Cas, his iridescent midnight-black coat contrasting sharply with the thin layer of powder under his feet, crouched down and flexed his shoulders. His great black wings slowly unfurled from under their protective skin flaps, stretching out to their full length in moments as Cas gave an experimental flap. Dean had only seen them briefly before at night, but in the sunlight he could get a better view of the wings' structure. They had the same bone structure as dragons' wings, with long finger bones holding thin membranes that could catch the air and provide lift, the short black fur that covered them shimmering in the light. Beside him, Gadreel stretched out his own blue wings, both of them jumping into the air and flapping a few times to get some lift.

Dean leaned over and nudged his friend, nodding toward the hovering blue wolf. "You seem to be getting quite friendly with the tallest of our rescued omegas."

Benny chuckled and ran his fingers through his scruffy beard. "He's so gentle, Dean, despite everything that happened to them. I won't deny that I see a kindred peacekeeper soul in the boy. When I heard him mediate that argument between Castiel and Balthazar the day we met, I can honestly say that I saw myself, standing between you and your brother, or you and Jo during one of your more violent spats."

Dean leaned forward, green eyes riveted on the black wolf as he galloped into flight, letting his speed propel him into the sky before he leisurely glided back to the ground. "There's a 'but' in your words, old friend."

"I'm so much older than him, Dean. He had his first heat at sixteen, only five years ago. He hasn't ever had a lover, or been courted, or had the opportunity to mate. Hell, he hasn't made a decision for himself his entire life, not with the way Michael controlled them. I like him, I truly do, but I can't force myself on him like that."

"Does he like you?"

"He enjoys spending time with me, and he was grateful for the part I played in getting Gabriel here quickly, but I don't know if it's more than that."

Dean shrugged. "You could ask him."

Benny shook his head and leaned back against the tree, smiling as Gadreel managed to fly into a tree, yipping proudly at his brother on the ground. "You know the rules, Brother. He has to ask me for a courtship, not the other way around."

"Celestials seem to have different rules than we do, Benny. He may not know our custom."

Benny shrugged. "Maybe not, but I won't be the one to tell him. I'm not some big, strong, virile alpha who turns all of the omegas' heads; I'm a beta with all of the complications that entails."

Dean reached out and placed a hand on Benny's shoulder, forcing his oldest friend to meet his eyes. "Benny, he may not care. You know that Sam and I don't give a shit about that, and even Dad would approve of you with an omega if that's what you wanted."

"I know, Brother, but I can't help but hesitate." Gadreel jumped down from his tree, his wings spread just enough to slow his fall as he landed on his youngest brother. Cas yipped and flipped over, the start of a play-fight throwing snow into the air and burying both of them. "I'll try to talk to him, soon, I promise."

Dean reached up to run his fingers through his hair, frowning at the snow that fell down his arm at the action. "I'm hoping that Cas feels comfortable enough here soon to ask me."

"He hasn't? Brother, that boy is head over heels for you."

"Yeah, maybe, but he's too concerned about his brother to worry about courtships or mating. He's been a little distant lately, ever since Sam admitted that Gabriel was showing signs of being suicidal, and I don't know how to help him through this. I don't know how to help any of them."

"You did the only thing you could, letting Sam send a message to Rowena. I can't say that the thought of working with a full-blown Spellbound witch makes me all tingly inside, but I want that boy to get better. I have to admit, I miss his voice."

They lapsed into silence and watched the omegas cavorting in the snow and practicing aerial dive-bombs on each other. It took a couple of hours for the wolves to tire of their games, finally sauntering over to the fire and plopping down beside their friends. Dean reached down and ran his fingers through Cas's black fur, grinning as the omega almost purred under his hand. "How are you feeling after that?" Cas growl-barked something back, falling on his side and staring up at the alpha with one blue eye. "That tired, huh?"

"You two ready to head back? It must be almost supper time." Benny leaned forward to douse the fire as he asked the question while Dean gathered their supplies and stripped back down to his under shorts. A few moments later, four wolves left the clearing and headed back to the castle, Cas walking with Dean and Gadreel keeping pace with Benny further back.

" _How did it feel to stretch your wings?"_

" _Wonderful,"_ Cas purred, bumping his shoulder into Dean's and flashing his fangs. _"I can't believe I argued with you about this. Being in the sky, even for the few minutes that we can manage right now, it lets me just forget everything."_

" _You look awesome up there, Cas. Gotta admit, I'm a bit jealous."_

Cas was silent for a long time, his blue eyes focused on their path. When he finally spoke, Dean stumbled in shock. _"You know, when I'm stronger and can fly long distances alone, I want to try to carry you."_

" _You want me to . . . you want me to ride on your back? While you're flying?"_

" _Well I can't do it on the ground, because you'd be pressing on my wings. But when they're open, you should be able to sit just in front of my shoulders and ride comfortably."_ He glanced over at the mahogany wolf strolling beside him. _"Do you want to?"_

" _Yes, ancestors yes, but it seems a little . . . I don't know . . . intimate?"_

" _If I'm going to ask you to court me, it seems appropriate."_

Dean stared at the younger wolf by his side, sending Cas the equivalent of a slow grin. _"You're going to ask me?"_

" _Up north, our customs are a little different. An omega's alpha will initiate a courtship on the omega's behalf. Normally, it would be after the omega found someone he or she was interested in, but in our case Michael narrowed the playing field. Before he left, Balthy told me that things are different here, that omegas can ask for their own courtships. Is that true?"_

" _Yeah, it is. The alpha of each pack or family group has to approve the match before any mating can take place, but in reality we don't ever really deny two people who are in love."_

Cas walked closer to Dean, resting his side against the larger wolf and nuzzling him under the chin. The alpha knew that Gadreel and Benny were watching, but as that honeysuckle and clover scent filled his nostrils, he found that he really didn't care. _"I want to ask you, Dean,"_ Cas whispered, dampening his mental voice so even his own brother wouldn't be able to listen in. _"Truly I do. But with Gabriel in his condition, it seems rude."_

" _Hey, I understand, Cas, I really do. We all want him to get better."_

" _When he is healed, I will ask you."_

" _If it helps any, I'm going to say 'yes',"_ Dean replied, walking a little slower so he could enjoy the feeling of the omega tucked up against his side. Castiel might be his height in human form, but he was a much larger wolf.

" _Yes, that helps."_

* * *

It took three days to reach the Spellbound border, the group making it to the river quickly and following it east. Balthazar had never enjoyed running so much in his life, even as the snowfall increased and the nights grew colder. The two betas, one larger than him and one smaller, had learned very early in the first day that their white companion didn't feel the cold the same way they did, generally pretty comfortable walking around camp in just his under shorts when they stopped for a meal break. He was also an exceedingly good fisher wolf, which Tasha had only partially believed when Dean said it, though he freely admitted he was a rubbish hunter.

At night, the wolves would curl up around the campfire, one of them on watch at all times while the other three cuddled as close as they could to share their body heat. It reminded Balthazar of the hectic trip south through the mountains, though at the time he had been a great deal hungrier and gripped in the thralls of his heat, so he had not enjoyed it nearly as much.

The border itself was marked by an ancient stone cairn, the forest scraggly and miserable where it sat on the edge of dry scrubland. Balthazar had seen one map of this area before they left, and he knew that the scrubland changed to true desert further south, while rolling hills and fertile grasslands took up the center of the Spellbound pack's territory. Only their northern section was swampy and unhospitable, and they controlled a great swath of coastland south of the desert. Their eastern border petered out into wilderness, forests as wild as the ones from Dean's homeland separating them from the next nearest tribe lands.

Tasha reached the cairn and sat back on her haunches, howling into the fading daylight three times before pausing for a response. She seemed satisfied at what she heard, though Balthazar detected only silence, shifting forms and calling for them to make camp.

Balthazar gathered dry wood for the fire while Elvis dug around in the supply bag for clothes, handing a pile to each member of their little band. Balthazar slipped into his black pants and loose navy blue shirt, taking the shoes and vest he was offered before returning to his fire. If the trip was going to be longer than a week, Tasha would have packed heavier winter gear, but since they were spending most of their time in wolf form it seemed pointless.

"Our contact will be here within an hour," Tasha announced, passing around a water skin and a pack of dried fruit. "When she arrives, I'll present Balthazar's case and ask her to get a message to Rowena. Hopefully we will have an answer from her not long after that."

Balthazar nodded, fiddling with his sleeves as he waited in silence. He had so many questions about this witch, one who was famous enough to be spoken of in hushed tones in Celestial lands, and he wondered why Sam thought she would help Gabriel. Bucky leaned over and clapped his hand on the omega's shoulder, smiling encouragingly. "Don't worry, she isn't anything like you've heard. Rowena may be powerful, and possibly incredibly old, but she has a gentle heart. She has helped us in the past when we had hard winters or rampant diseases in the city, and she is very fond of Tasha. I think they may be related, but no one knows how."

"I hope she can help. I want my brother back."

The Spellbound wolves arrived less than an hour later, a slender beta and a tiny omega appearing beside the cairn and greeting Tasha with a howl. Balthazar was surprised at how small they both were, though he knew better than to judge the two females based on their size. The slender beta was coal black, her belly and legs pure white under the dust of her trip. Her golden brown eyes locked on Balthazar immediately, clearly trying to determine who this newcomer was and if he was trustworthy. Her omega companion, who barely reached the beta's shoulder, was a beautiful red roan color, brilliant emerald eyes sparkling with power as she shifted forms. The beta growl-barked at her companion, probably scolding her for shifting first, but she quickly followed suit.

Balthazar raised his eyebrows in shock at how beautiful the two Spellbounds were. The beta was darker, her black hair flowing down her back in loose waves, and she was clearly used to being in control of every situation. The omega was paler and slender, though she may have been an inch taller than her companion, her own hair a brilliant red color and much straighter. She was full of energy, tugging on her leader's arm and urging her forward, ready to greet her friends.

"Well met, Tasha of Wilderness."

"Well met, Meg of Spellbound." Tasha bowed her head and held her hands out, palms up, in a greeting that omegas tended to favor when meeting wolves of other subgenders. Meg grinned and stepped forward, taking Tasha's hands in her own and pulling the taller woman into a fierce embrace, one that her redheaded companion quickly joined. "You guys made good time."

Meg shrugged. "We were actually camped with the others a day's run away, so Charlie and I just ran straight here. She had a feeling that you needed to speak urgently."

Tasha ran her fingers through Charlie's hair and kissed the smaller woman on top of her head. "You're a wise young witch, you know that?"

"What's wrong, Tasha?"

"Let me introduce my newest companion, then I will explain. I'm guessing you didn't bring any supplies or clothes with you?"

Meg shook her head, following the omega to the packs and gratefully accepting a long tunic and pants to protect her from the chill. Charlie took a set for herself, claiming a seat on one of the huge logs by the fire as she watched Balthazar with those intense green eyes. "Elvis, Bucky; good to see you boys again."

"Likewise, Meg. How are things going in your pack?"

Meg shrugged. "The usual. Abbadon's still nipping at Crowley's heels, Ruby has been in a funk since our last skirmish with Cain's pack, and Rowena had to break up a particularly bad alpha fight between a few of the town teenagers. Mating season isn't even here yet and they're getting restless. Oh, Linda came back to the city."

"Really? With her pup, that young omega?"

Meg nodded, accepting a piece of dried fruit from Bucky before answering him. "Yeah, she has her own son Kevin and another omega she found as an infant after one of our raids in Celestial lands fifteen years ago. That boy is adorable, and he's really grown into an attractive young man. They've both made it through their first couple of heats, so she's brought them back to civilization so they can have some options for mates if they're interested."

"Is that pup Samandriel?" Balthazar leaned forward, blue eyes meeting Meg's golden-brown as the beta slowly nodded. "I know that name. He's a pup out of Malachi's band, the Eastern Celestial Pack. He's probably better off with your pack, to be fair."

"You're a Celestial," Meg purred, tilting her head at the omega. "What is a Celestial omega doing running with Wilderness wolves?"

"My brothers and I were kind of adopted by a Wilderness band." Balthazar glanced at Tasha for permission to continue, the omega giving him a quick nod. "We left our lands due to some heat-related issues with our Head Alpha, and got into a dustup with your splinter pack north of here."

"A dustup? With Cain?"

"No, with Lilith and her betas."

Charlie growled at that, her eyes flashing purple as she struggled to contain her power. "Dagon is bad enough, but I cannot stand Asmodeus."

"That's why Balthazar is here," Tasha replied, taking that moment to officially introduce the young omega. As the mate of the Head Alpha of her pack, she retained the right to stand as leader of this small band, even though Elvis and Bucky would outrank her in most other situations. "Meg, we need to speak with Rowena."

The beta glanced over at Balthazar, clearly reading something in his expression or body language that hinted at the reason they needed the witch. "Something happened to one of your brothers, didn't it? It had to be Asmodeus; what did my misguided uncle do to him?"

Balthazar glanced up at Tasha, eyes widening at the wording Meg had used. "The two betas you ran into, Dagon and Asmodeus, have two older alpha brothers, Ramiel and Azazel. Azazel is Meg's father, but she disowned him long ago and joined the main pack. Her brother, Marcus, still runs with Cain's pack."

Balthazar tilted his head and shrugged, absorbing the explanation. "Asmodeus poisoned my brother. Tasha was able to heal him, but he is suffering from a pretty nasty side effect."

"And you're hoping that Rowena can help him."

Balthazar nodded. "She's the only hope we have. If she can't or won't help him, I don't think he'll survive."

Charlie glanced up at Meg, tilting her head and narrowing her eyes, nodding toward the blue-eyed omega and frowning slightly. Meg shrugged and nodded, clearly surrendering to the young omega's request, the redhead smiling as she turned back to Balthazar. "I'll call her. Rowena is unlikely to run through the night, but she will be here as quickly as she can. Tasha, she has an alpha with her who will insist on following."

"Who, Ruby? She's fine. I'm not as stringent on these meeting rules as Asa and Crowley, but it would be best if Ruby doesn't come too far past the marker."

"Not a problem." Charlie pulled the sleeve of her borrowed sleeve up and touched the fingers of her right hand to a purple symbol etched into the skin just below her elbow. Her emerald eyes glowed purple as she focused her attention inward, whispering something under her breath. She paused for a moment, waiting for an answer, before nodding and speaking again. Charlie moved her hand away from her arm and smiled up at Balthazar, her eyes green once more.

"Rowena sensed that she would be needed here, so she and Ruby are only a half day away. They'll arrive by noon tomorrow, and she has requested that her blue-eyed petitioner provide some fish for lunch."

Balthazar grinned and nodded, already mapping out the location of the river in relation to their camp in his mind. "Of course. How did she know?"

"In my years of being Rowena's apprentice, I haven't found much that she doesn't seem to just _know_ , Balthazar. You'll understand when you meet her."

* * *

Rowena appeared beside the stone cairn just before noon the next day, her alpha companion just behind her. Rowena's wolf form wasn't much larger than Charlie's, though her fur was a deep, rich red with bright copper undertones and her eyes were purple, the color much more intense than Tasha's or Max's shade. Her alpha companion was almost twice her size, smaller than Sam or Dean but larger than Jo. Ruby was colored in black and tan, a pattern that certainly helped her blend in with the trees and scrublands of her native hunting grounds, her namesake red eyes glowing in sharp contrast to her coat. When she shifted forms, she wasn't much taller than Meg, and her straight hair was a similar dark brown color. Moreso than the young beta, she held herself as a woman used to command.

Rowena couldn't have been more different if she tried. Where Ruby was dark, she was bright, her long red hair shining in the brilliant winter sunlight and her tiny frame belying her immense power. She wasn't in charge _per se_ , but it was a clear that she had chosen not to be, letting her two pack mates have all of the control their subgenders craved. Rowena was an omega, the mother of the current Head Alpha of Spellbound Pack, and every wolf in her tribe accepted her control of all pack matters. She also trained all Spellbound witches, and Tasha had once been her apprentice.

"Rowena," Tasha breathed, running forward to envelop her former mentor in a crushing hug. They had been close when Tasha was a pup, and she had never let her new position as the mate of a Wilderness wolf break their bond.

"It's been too long, Tasha. Why have you not called for me before now?" Rowena had a strong accent, and it took Balthazar a moment to grasp her words, having never heard anyone speak with those inflections before.

"I'm sorry about that. It's been some time since I was able to make the trip."

Rowena stepped back and placed a hand on Tasha's cheek, her purple eyes glowing with her power. "You didn't tell me you were pregnant."

"I lost the pup just before winter," Tasha whispered, dropping her eyes to the ground. "I wasn't in any condition to talk about it."

"You'll have another one, child, I can promise you that."

Tasha looked up and smiled, thanking the older witch before pulling her toward the fire and offering both women some simple clothes from the pack. Balthazar had no idea why Tasha had packed so much clothing, but perhaps she had some amount of clairvoyance herself. Elvis and Bucky resisted the urge to bristle at Ruby as the red-eyed alpha joined them, their pack instincts demanding that they chase this rival away. If they were alphas, there would have been a fight, but thankfully betas were more capable of controlling their wolf natures. Tasha passed out the fish that Balthazar had caught that morning, each one cooked perfectly over their small fire.

Rowena turned to Balthazar as soon as the meal was finished, holding a hand out to the younger omega. "You're the one who asked to see me."

"Yes. I'm Balthazar." He took the witch's hand and smiled at the warmth flowing into him from that simple contact.

"It's been many an age since I sat and talked with a Celestial. Tell me about your wee brother."

Balthazar told her the story from the beginning, glossing over the abuse they received from their oldest brother and skipping the part about their wings. Rowena's eyes flashed a few times as he spoke, but she kept silent and just listened. When he reached the end, describing Gabriel's dark mood and Sam's fear, he trailed off into silence, not sure what else he could say.

"It sounds like a malady that I may be able to heal, but I need to meet him. I'm assuming that he cannot be moved, since he didn't travel here with you."

"He can't shift until his stitches are taken out, but Sam and Cas are of the opinion that he won't be able to speak in wolf form. They're going to keep him from shifting for as long as they can."

Ruby sighed and touched Rowena's arm, shaking her head. "We are at war with these people, Rowena. You can't travel that deep into their territory, especially without an escort."

Rowena smiled up at the alpha, covering the hand on her arm with her own. "We both know that I'm going to go and help this omega. I can't do anything else."

"I can guarantee her safety, Ruby. No harm would ever come to her in my lands."

Ruby growled and clenched her fists, calming as soon as Meg scooted closer and leaned against her side. They were closer than sisters, and the very presence of her second-in-command helped to calm the alpha. "I am not okay with this plan."

"Charlie is coming with me," Rowena announced, "and you two will take Balthazar back with you to visit our castle."

Everyone looked over at the redheaded witch in shock, Balthazar unable to contain a soft whine. She wanted him to go into the heart of Spellbound lands? Alone? Without his brothers? "I . . . Rowena, I can't."

"You can, sweet one, I promise you. You have a future that cannot start unless you visit my castle and meet my people, my family. I don't know why your path points east, but it does. I will explain it to your brothers when I see them."

"How long?"

"Charlie and I will stay with Tasha's pack until the Spring Equinox, then we will all meet here again and exchange places."

"Spring?! Rowena, Crowley is going to be furious."

The witch chuckled and hugged Meg, waiting until the beta calmed somewhat before speaking. "Meg, Fergus will understand that I have to go where I am called. Balthazar's family and that Winchester boy's pack need me and Charlie more than they know, and it will take all winter to sort them out. Balthazar needs to spend time with our pack; the fate of all three lands depends on what he does while he is there. I can't always see the future clearly, but I can see his paw prints next to yours and Ruby's in the snow. That _has_ to happen. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Rowena," Meg whispered. "I don't want to let you go there alone."

"I won't be alone! I'll have Tasha, Bucky, and Elvis. You trust these three to keep me safe, don't you?" Meg nodded, glancing over at Ruby who reluctantly offered her agreement. "Okay, then take this wee omega and march him back to our palace before winter truly sets in."

"But how will I know if my brother is okay?"

Tasha stood up from her spot by the fire, kneeling down beside Balthazar and pushing the sleeve of his tunic up so she could reach the inside of his elbow. "Let's see if I remember how to do this," the witch murmured, placing her hand over the soft skin just below his elbow, her eyes glowing purple as she whispered an incantation. Balthazar yipped in pain, resisting the urge to pull away as something _burned_ him, Tasha pulling away a moment later.

Balthazar stared at the purple mark inked on his skin, a stylized pentagram inside a sun. "What is it?"

"That's the symbol of Wilderness Pack," Tasha replied. "If you hold your hand to it and speak, I'll be able to hear you and respond. You saw Charlie use it to speak to Rowena. If you feel it start to tingle, that means that I am trying to speak to you, so put your fingers on it and listen."

Balthazar stared at the symbol for a moment longer, looking up as Meg placed a hand on his shoulder. "We might as well get going, string bean. Take off your clothes and shift."

Tasha gathered all of the clothes and folded them, carefully repacking her supply bag and dousing the fire. "Are you three going to be okay without supplies?"

Ruby shrugged. "Our camp is only a half day away; we left most of our supplies there so we could reach you quickly. As long as Balthazar here can keep up, we shouldn't have any issues."

Balthazar grinned as he shifted forms, flashing his fangs in amusement at the shock on Ruby's face. She hadn't since his wolf form before, and she was clearly impressed, reaching out to touch the iridescent white fur in wonder. "I have never seen a color like this before."

"His three brothers have iridescent fur, also," Tasha offered helpfully, waiting for Elvis to shift forms so she could strap the supplies to his side. "It's quite a remarkable color, isn't it?"

"And he blends with the snow really well," Bucky added before shifting into his own wolf form. Rowena chuckled at that, blowing Ruby a kiss goodbye as she and Charlie joined Tasha's small band and started heading deeper into Wilderness lands.

Meg and Ruby shifted, both of them rubbing against Balthazar and scent-marking him, offering him the protection of their pack in case they ran into other Spellbound wolves on the way to the castle. As soon as they were satisfied that he no longer smelled overly Wilderness-y, Ruby and Meg took off, the omega on their heels. He took a moment to wonder why he had agreed to this exchange—honestly, he didn't remember agreeing at all—but he had to focus on keeping up with Meg and eventually let the steady beat of their paws drown out his thoughts.

It was going to be an interesting winter, to say the least.


	4. Healed

Chapter 4: Healed

* * *

Benny climbed the stone stairs on the side of the tall watchtower, nodding at the two alphas keeping guard as he climbed past them onto the roof. He had done it so many times over the past few years that no one paid him any mind anymore. Once they knew that the dependable beta was on the roof, the guards below often relaxed, trusting him to watch the skies for them through the cold, clear winter night.

Benny had dressed for it this time, at least. His heavy pants and vest were lined with rabbit fur, his dark red shirt woven from a soft but warm wool, and his boots heavy leather with fur lining. He was from a land that was much, much warmer, and Benny really hated Wilderness winters. Still, he loved his pack and he would suffer this discomfort for them.

He looked up from his perch as a dark shadow crossed the stars, the near-silent flapping of wings catching his attention as a large blue wolf landed on the roof next to him. Gadreel tucked his wings away, his tongue lolling out of his mouth in amusement. Benny smiled at the omega, patting the space beside him on the roof as an invitation for Gadreel to join him. The wolf nodded and slipped out of the bag tied around his waist, shifting back into human form and pulling on the warm clothes he had brought with him.

"Fancy meeting you here."

Benny snorted. "I thought that Cas wanted you to protect that particular secret."

Gadreel shrugged. "No one can see me at night. It's helps that they are not looking." He sat down as close as he could to Benny without touching the beta, his golden eyes staring at the stars overhead. "The stars are dimmer here, muted. You should see the night sky from my homeland, high in the mountains."

Benny reached out and placed a hand on Gadreel's leg at the wistful homesickness he could hear in the young omega's voice. "My home, the place I was born, was far south and west of here. We lived on the water, in swampland that was never silent and never cold. I grew up on a boat, fishing and swimming every day of my life. But I gave all of that up to come here, to pledge fealty to the son of the great John Winchester. I can never go back; this is my home now. This is your home now, too."

"I know," Gadreel whispered. "I don't want to hate my brother, but Michael forced us to run away from the home we loved. Cas will never say anything about it, but he will miss climbing in the mountains and swimming in glacial lakes. We're mountain wolves, that's why we're so tall. We have greater lung capacity than you lowland wolves so we can breathe at altitudes that would kill you. The air here is hot, muggy, and too heavy. I am eternally grateful for the rescue and your pack's kind offer of a new home, but I can never forget the one I lost."

Benny scooted closer to the omega, all of his own practiced inhibitions flying out the window at this new depth of comraderie with the young Celestial. He wrapped his arm around Gadreel's back and pulled him closer, laying them both down on the hard roof and staring up into the sky. "One day I'll take you to the bayou and teach you to drive a boat, and you can take me to your mountains and teach me to climb."

"I would like that," Gadreel whispered, turning his head and nuzzling Benny's chin.

The beta groaned and turned his head, kissing Gadreel gently on the forehead and closing his eyes. "Gad, I'm twice your age."

"I don't care. Besides, betas live longer than alphas since they don't get into so many pointless dominance fights."

Benny chuckled and tightened his arm around Gadreel's waist. "True that, cher. That's the best part of running with Dean Winchester; he fights enough for the both of us. But do you really want to be with a beta?"

Gadreel turned onto his side and leaned up on his arm, golden eyes staring into Benny's light blue. It took him a long time to answer, as if he had read something in the beta's soul that needed answering first. "Tell me why you left your home."

Benny sighed and closed his eyes. "Stop reading my mind."

"I'm reading your voice, Benny. Something about your past is preventing you from wanting to court me. It's why I haven't asked you, even though I could see that you want me to. Tell me, Benny, please."

"Alright, I suppose I owe you that much. Where should I begin?" He paused for a moment, trying to decide the best place to start his story. "In my lands, alphas and omegas were less common than they are here. I mean, your family has eight children and only one is a beta. In my family, we had eight children and only one was an alpha. My oldest brother was well-suited to taking over the family business, and I was only too happy to follow him. We were fishermen, and our specialty was shrimp. I learned to cook, and I was good at it. One of my customers, a young alpha woman named Andrea, came to eat at the restaurant more and more often until she asked permission to court me."

"Did you like her?"

"Yeah, cher, I did. I fell in love with her, and I was tempted to accept her offer. But I wanted pups of my own and we wouldn't have been able to have them. Andrea didn't want them at all. She told me that was one reason she was so interested in beta males, because we can't give birth. I just . . . we had a huge fight about it and she _changed_ , becoming cruel and demanding. I rejected her but my family got involved to try to force me to accept her suit. Eventually, I just had to leave." There was a lot he wasn't saying, but Gadreel was grateful for anything Benny was willing to give.

It took a while for the beta to continue. "I packed a small bag of essential supplies and just started walking, going as far as my wolf could manage every day and moving steadily north and east. I actually passed through the edge of Wilderness lands and came upon a skirmish near the Celestial border. Michael, Lucifer, and Raphael were leading a small pack against John, his mate Mary, Asa, and John's two alpha pups. They were so young then, babies really, but full of that damned alpha pride. It wasn't a fair fight, so I jumped in and helped even the odds. That was the fight where Mary saved Asa's life, actually, and earned his undying loyalty. I killed a few of the wolves that followed Michael, from Zachariah's pack if I remember correctly, and protected Dean and Sam from the aftermath."

"John asked you to join his pack?"

Benny chuckled. "No, Dean did. The pup was barely past his first rut and he asked me to run as his second. He didn't even have a band back then, but Bobby Singer and his old beta Rufus Turner were willing to run with him while he was training to take over as head alpha one day. I was his second until Sam finally had his rut and was allowed to leave home, then we adopted Jo into our band a couple of years ago when Bobby and Rufus finally retired."

"That's a pretty big change in your life, just because you wanted pups."

Benny turned to Gadreel and smirked. "Is that your way of telling me that I rambled on, cher?"

Gadreel shook his head. "No, it was a very subtle way of asking about Wilderness pack's view on omega mating. In Celestial, there aren't that many of us, and most are female. Four omegas, all of them male, born to the Head Alpha was quite the sign. Omegas are encouraged to mate alphas, to give them the best chance to breed more of the same, but it's obviously impossible to strictly enforce the rule."

"Wilderness pack doesn't have that rule. They actually have laws that prohibit any influence on an omega's inherent right to choose. I told John my desires, and he said that he would never stand in my way if an omega chose me, though I have only courted beta females so far. Until we saved you, I've never met an omega that I would have said 'yes' to."

"Then why do you hesitate? Why have you been so reluctant to let me ask you? Is it because beta males are significantly less fertile than their alpha counterparts?"

"Yeah, pretty much. We don't rut when you go into heat. I want pups, but I'll be lucky if I could ever father even one. How could I do that to an omega, prevent them from having the litters of pups their bodies demand of them?"

Gadreel shrugged. "When I'm in heat, that _is_ all I desire. I want to be bred and pupped. But I'm only like that a couple of weeks a year, and I don't really want to have a dozen pups underfoot the rest of the time. Besides, choosing a mate isn't about who can father my offspring. It's about who can hold my heart. If you were an alpha, would you have hesitated for a moment?"

"No. I'd probably be as hung up on you right now as Dean is on Cas."

Gadreel grinned and snuggled closer to the big beta, tucking his head under Benny's chin. "Then I think you should obey your own law and stop standing in the way of my choice. I want you to court me, Benny."

The beta chuckled and ran his fingers across the arm resting on his chest. "This really what you want, cher?" Gadreel nodded, inhaling the bigger man's scent. "I'm going to insist on a long courtship, to make sure that what you feel for me has nothing to do with us saving you and your brothers. And we'll have to go before John at some point and get his permission, also, since I was not born into his pack."

"That's fine," the Celestial murmured, his breathing having slowed significantly in the last few minutes. Benny smiled as the omega drifted off to sleep, clearly feeling safe in the beta's arms. Benny turned his head back to the sky, watching the stars twinkle overhead and silently thanking Dean for sending Gadreel to speak with him.

* * *

"Do you think he knows it was you?"

"We've been best friends for ten years; of course he knows." Dean stared up at the watchtower where Benny liked to watch the stars, glad that Gadreel had flown up there to join him.

Castiel sat at the edge of the lake and stared into the star-sprinkled reflection, trying to decide if the water would be as cold as the lakes he swam in back home. The snow that fell five days earlier had melted, but the clouds to the east would certainly bring more by the end of the week. "I should get back soon, make sure Gabriel is sleeping comfortably."

Dean settled down beside Cas, grateful for the warm clothes that Garth had provided for him. "You know, Sam is taking really good care of him. Gabriel has even gained some weight and he doesn't look so listless all the time."

"I know. He can walk without help now. He's going to want to shift soon."

"Sam will prevent it. We only need to hold out for two or three more days until Tasha returns. I'm sure Rowena will agree to help."

Cas tilted his head, wishing he could see Dean's eyes in the gloom. "You told Sam not to get his hopes up about Rowena. You told him to have a Plan B."

Dean nodded. "Yeah, because I needed him to do everything in his power to prove me wrong. We're very competitive, and Sammy is going to want to be right about this. He wants to play the hero, heal Gabriel, and I need him to do that. So I told him what he expected to hear from me, that there wasn't much hope, because it would strengthen his resolve."

"Wow. How did you know it would work?"

Dean snorted. "What don't I know about that kid?" He paused for a moment, staring out across the lake as he let the memories of his childhood wash over him. "Dad was gone a lot when we were little. This war has consumed him, ever since his dad died trying to make peace with the former leader of the Spellbound pack, Abaddon. Mom was trained as a warrior from the day she could first shift, and she always went with him on his campaigns. I was left to raise myself, Sammy, and little Adam alone, with just some nursemaids and servants to keep us company."

"Your story is similar to mine," Cas murmured. "My brothers and I have never had anyone else. Anna tried to look out for us once or twice but she is so much older and had responsibilities to Michael and to the pack. Our mother didn't ever seem to want to raise us, though she did try to protect us from the voices in the council who feared us." He twisted his hands in his lap, looking up as Dean wrapped his hands around them, calming that nervous motion. "Dean, someone had to lead them, to protect them. I always kind of knew that I was cut out to be that . . . general."

Cas growled and stood up, stalking away from his alpha companion before pausing just on the edge of the lake. He sensed Dean move to stand behind him, but the Wilderness wolf knew better than to speak, to interrupt Cas's train of thought. Clearly their conversation had dug into an old wound, and the Celestial needed to get it off his chest.

"I'm tired, Dean," Cas whispered brokenly, tears in his cobalt eyes. "I have been fighting with Michael, Raphael, and their rules for so long that I don't know how to do anything else. I have been biting and clawing my way to freedom for me and for my brothers for _so long_ that I don't know what else to do!" He grabbed the hem of his shirt, having left his vest inside, and tore it off, throwing it on the ground and turning to face Dean, unable to see him through the tears. "I'm as broken and scarred as an alpha; who would want an omega who looks like this?"

"I do," Dean whispered, reaching out and pulling Cas into a bruising hug. He sank to the ground with the sobbing omega in his arms, nuzzling him and purring words of comfort in Cas's ear. "Who told you that omegas can't fight, can't have scars?"

"Everyone," Cas whispered, his fingers digging into the lapels of Dean's vest. "We were all supposed to be gentle, delicate, and beautiful enough to attract a mate. That's all Michael ever expected of us. But Balthy, Gad, and I were too tall, too big, and he hated us for that. Only Gabe ever lived up to his image of a good omega. I thought . . . I hoped that if I was damaged enough Uriel wouldn't want me."

Dean rocked the raven-haired man until his breathing evened out, rubbing his back soothingly and running gentle fingers through his hair. "Cas, we don't treat our omegas like that. We don't starve them, we don't force them to mate against their will, and we certainly don't keep them from training as warriors if that's what they want to do. My mother may have more scars than you, to be honest, and she's one of the sweetest women you'll ever meet. Many of our omegas fight, and some of our alphas don't. You can do whatever you want, Cas."

"I want to be able to fight when I need to, but . . . I don't want to have to be in charge anymore."

"Then you don't have to be," Dean whispered. "I've taken you and your brothers into my pack; that means that it's my responsibility to see that you are protected and happy. As soon as my father accepts you into Wilderness pack, you won't have to worry about your older brothers hurting you ever again. You have my word on that."

Cas nodded against Dean's shoulder, taking a deep breath before sitting back. "Thank you, Dean, for everything. I never believed anyone could be so kind and expect nothing from us."

"I don't expect anything from you, Cas, you know that, right? I readily admit that I care for you and I want to court you, but if you decide that's not what you want, I'd never force you. I will, however, do everything in my power to keep Uriel and his misbegotten pack mates from getting their hands on you. You and your brothers don't owe us anything."

"Thank you, Dean. You don't know what that means to us."

* * *

"We should reach the city before noon," Ruby began, tearing into the fish that Balthazar had cooked for lunch. Thankfully they had been able to follow the river most of the way, feasting on the fish that the Celestial was able to find despite the lateness of the season. Ruby was both grateful for the fresh food and impressed by his skill. Somehow, despite her reservations about being assigned to escort this omega to the Spellbound capital, Ruby had begun to like the wolf. Even Meg had come around, glad for the balance that he brought to their tiny band.

"Sounds good."

"Crowley will be there to meet us," Meg pointed out. "He knows better than to snub his mother when she returns from a mission. The scouts will have told him by then that we bring a white omega and not two reds, so he will be furious. Just try to stay behind me and let Ruby explain everything. He wouldn't hurt you, but I don't want to risk his temper."

Balthazar rolled his eyes and picked the last of the meat from his fish. "Perfect. Another alpha pissy at me for something I have no control over."

Meg shrugged before burying the fire and repacking the supplies. The Spellbounds kept a series of well-stocked permanent campsites and outposts along the Wilderness border, but they had to carry their own supplies for the two-day trip back to the city. "I'm sorry you got roped into this trip, but none of us have ever had a choice but to obey Rowena. I met her as a pup, just once, and I knew that I had to join her pack. My father hates her, so I had to choose between my family and this crazy, insanely old, redheaded witch. I don't think I made the wrong choice."

"How old is she?"

"No one knows. But she was old when Abaddon took over the pack, and some of us believe that she was around before the war started."

"No one in my pack has ever talked about the time before the war. Even the tiny packs along our northern and western borders have never mentioned it. The war just _is_."

"Wouldn't it be nice if it wasn't?" Meg chuckled as Ruby rolled her eyes. "What? Not all of us are bloodthirsty savages. I would like to see an end to the fighting." Balthazar had found that he liked to listed to the young beta talk. Her slow, deliberate speech pattern and almost-accent were nearly as soothing as Benny's drawl had been.

"Don't hope for it in your lifetime," Ruby replied acridly. Her voice was stronger and sharper at all times, her words more precise, but the quasi-musical quality to her speech pattern was similar to Meg's. He wondered if all Spellbound wolves spoke so oddly. "John, Michael, and Crowley are committed to this war and hate each other more than three wolves have a right to. Crowley's father is rumored to have been a Celestial wolf from one of the splinter packs who was killed by his own pack for impregnating a Spellbound. John's father Henry tried to sue for peace sixty or so years ago and was killed by Cain and Abaddon. Crowley led a raid into Spellbound territory and slaughtered a hundred of their wolves, including a female that Michael was fond of, stealing a young pup and bringing him back here. There is so much bad blood recently between the three Head Alphas that no peace can ever be had."

"Maybe their heirs can see a better way," Balthazar countered. "Michael is not popular back home; he's just powerful. Anna and Lucifer rarely agree with his ways and could easily turn toward peace with the right provocation. Dean risked his life and his pack mates' lives in order to save four Celestial wolves from a Spellbound ambush. I haven't known him that long, but I can tell you that this war is not the future he has planned for his people. And maybe Rowena sent me here to convince Crowley of the same thing."

"You would lead a full-scale rebellion to overthrow Michael and John on the slim hope that their replacements might want an end to this war? Gotta say, Omega, you don't lack for gumption."

Ruby chuckled and took the pack from Meg so she could shift. "The best part is where you plan to sway Crowley to your pacifist mindset. He'd never go along with it, even if the leadership of the other two packs changed."

Balthazar thought back to the prophecy that he and his brothers would destroy all of the packs, and he shivered as a touch of premonition skittered down his spine. "I would do anything to stop this war, Ruby. The alternative is too terrible to be imagined."

The alpha stared at him as he shifted back into his wolf form, his blue eyes distant. "Maybe you _can_ change some minds, Balthazar. We'll have to see."

* * *

Nobody interrupted Michael when he was on a rampage. He paced from one end of his throne room to the other, alternating between growling and throwing things across the chamber. His three siblings stood in a half-circle in front of him, all of the court advisors and council members shrunk up against the walls. The head alphas of the three splinter packs stood behind the siblings and watched Michael stalk the hall, one of them sharing his anger, one utterly indifferent, and one silently cheering inside.

"How could you lose them?"

"Because they have four legs and know how to run," Anna snapped. "Maybe if you hadn't spent the last five years _abusing_ them, they wouldn't have run away!"

Michael whirled on his only sister, growling as he grabbed the collar of her shirt and jerked her forward. She snarled back and slammed her arms into his, breaking his hold before taking a step back. "I _never_ abused them! Everything I did was to _help_ them, turn them into good omegas who could have mates and a future."

"Mates you chose," Lucifer drawled, his unconcerned blue eyes rising to meet Michael's as he ran a hand through his blonde hair. "They didn't want the alphas you picked for them."

"They would have been content with their lives if they had just accepted their fates," Zachariah shot back, the rotund old alpha furious at the loss of the omega his pack was promised. He was the oldest of the pack alphas, grey and balding, and he was hardly intimidating in either form. No one had any idea why Uriel, Ishim, or Bartholomew hadn't challenged him for the pack yet, though the loss of the omegas might push them over the edge.

Anna snorted, flipping her dark red hair over her shoulder. "We've offered your pack a dozen omegas, Zachariah, and none of them have been willing to put up with your bullshit. Castiel was certainly not going to be the first."

The grey alpha growled and turned to face Anna, stepping back in shock as she slapped him. "Don't you ever think that you are worthy enough to raise your voice to _me_ , one of Chuck's alpha pups," she hissed. "I've been meaning to find a pack of my own, and I am not above taking yours."

"That's enough," Raphael growled, his dark eyes flicking between his sister and the old alpha. Where all of his siblings were pale-skinned with light-colored eyes, Raphael's skin was a more olive shade, and his eyes and hair were a dark, earthy brown. Lucifer often teased him, said that he had cooked too long in their mother's womb. As the only non-alpha of Chuck's four oldest pups, he had learned to be ruthless at a young age if he hoped to have any respect in the family. "Anna, you may not know where our brothers went, but certainly you know where they were."

The slender woman shrugged and walked away, catching Akobel's eye as she passed. The tall, broad-shouldered blonde alpha was one of the gentlest souls she had ever met, and he had helped to raise the four omegas as much as he could since their parents left. Anna knew that they had spent the days before their last heat in Akobel's palace, but the blonde alpha would never tell his leader anything. Akobel and his mate Lily did not approve of Michael's iron-fisted control of the widespread Celestial packs, and training the four brothers to fight had been their own private little rebellion.

"They should have been here, in the palace," Michael replied, not bothering to wait for Anna to speak. His sister grinned, knowing that her tall, raven-haired brother was not as wily as Raphael and didn't realize that the beta was trying to finger her as a traitor. It never worked, but he kept trying. One day, she promised herself in the depths of her soul, she was going to kill that beta.

"They have hidden from you during their last couple of heats," Lucifer pointed out. "Maybe they're just still hiding."

"It's been a month," Michael snarled back. "They can't have survived in the mountains alone for this long, without supplies or winter clothes."

"Then there are only two choices," Malachi interjected, the brunet alpha of the Eastern pack stepping forward to catch Michael's attention. "Either they starved to death in the mountains, or they fled into Spellbound or Wilderness lands."

All eyes turned to the unassuming man, surprised that he had bothered to speak up at all. He only attended council meetings out of a sense of duty, but he really had never cared about pack politics, and had only politely accepted the offer of two of Michael's omega brothers for his sons as a courtesy.

Lucifer shrugged. "It seems likely that they made it out of the mountains. If they headed east, they could have reached Spellbound lands in a week, and I think that Wilderness lands are about the same distance to the south. That's assuming that they left on the first day of their heat, which is the last day that Anna claims to have seen them."

"It's the last day I saw them," Anna correctly, olive eyes flashing at her older brother. Lucifer wisely nodded and conceded the point, unwilling to lose the fragile truce that the pair of them had built up over the years to survive Michael's tyranny and Raphael's duplicitousness.

Michael nodded. "Fine, that makes sense. We'll just have to send out scouting parties. I'm sure that each pack will offer up members for the expedition."

"Gladly," Zachariah replied, puffing out his chest proudly.

"Sure, why not," Malachi agreed.

"Not in the middle of winter we won't." Akobel's voice was soft but powerful; he was a man no one crossed lightly. He had ruled the south for decades, and he never tolerated any of Michael's posturing. "The snow is already six feet deep on the peaks, and those hidden valleys are worse. Winter is harsh in the mountains—which you would know if you ever bothered to leave your cushy little palace—and no scouts will find anything in snow so deep. You'll have to wait for spring thaw."

"That's months away," Michael growled. "Can you get scouts out to the other two packs?"

Akobel frowned and ran his fingers through his long, blonde hair. "I don't know. Not now, but maybe sooner than I can send expeditions into the mountains. I can send Hannah to Wilderness pack; she's had dealings with them in the past and they'll let her through the border. I don't have any wolves who can go to Spellbound."

Malachi sighed and took a mental inventory of his pack. "I only have one who has ever been across the border, and that was fifty years ago. I don't know if Crowley will still let him pass."

Zachariah snorted. "If it's fucking Metatron, no loss if he doesn't."

Anna exchanged a charged glance with Lucifer, and the blonde alpha smirked and nodded. An instant later, the lithe redhead jumped forward onto her hands and slammed her feet into the old alpha's face, knocking him back across the marble floor until he skidded to a stop against one of the decorative pillars near the full-length windows. "Metatron was one of my father's greatest advisors. He wrote two of the longest-lasting truces in the last hundred years, and you will not disrespect him like that!"

"One day I'm going to kill you," Zachariah growled, pushing himself back to his feet and wiping the blood off his chin.

"Not if I kill you first," Anna purred, joining her blonde brother near the throne and leaning up against his side. "Michael, the two envoys will have to do for now. Akobel will send Hannah to meet with John and Malachi will send Metatron to meet with Crowley. However, neither of them can go during hard winter, so we'll dispatch both of them closer to the Spring Equinox. That will be a month or so before the snow should have cleared enough to send scouts into the mountains."

Michael glanced at his sister, mildly surprised that she was suddenly being so helpful. "I don't want to wait that long."

"What are you going to do if they did make to the Spellbound or Wilderness lands? You can't mount an expedition in the middle of winter to retrieve them, and sending envoys early will only warn them that we are looking. Just wait, Michael; I'm sure they won't be expecting you to come searching for them."

The tall alpha sighed and ran his fingers through his raven hair, closing his blue eyes and letting his sister's words sink in. Anna had always been amazed that young Castiel looked so much like Michael, but the two brothers couldn't be any different. "Fine, it makes sense. Get the envoys ready and we'll send them out when the weather is better."

Zachariah sneered at Anna and Lucifer, stalking out of the throne room and heading back to the wolves who had accompanied him to Michael's palace. Malachi nodded once in acceptance of his Head Alpha's decision, leaving with a great deal less fuss, his three children Azrael, Ezekiel, and Sophia detaching themselves from the wall and following him out. Michael and Raphael left through the side door, a few of the councilors hurrying after them. Anna nodded at Lucifer as her brother headed out to the gardens, the redhead taking Akobel's arm and leading him out of the throne room.

"Do you know which way they went?" Akobel's voice was soft, his eyes flitting to each of the courtiers and servants they passed. Anyone could be a spy for Michael.

Anna nodded. "I told them to go southeast, hit the truce land at the border. I don't know where they would have gone from there, but Cain and his pack control the northern part of Spellbound lands so it's unlikely they turned east."

"Then they went to Wilderness lands."

"They had to. I don't know who else would take them in. Hannah has to warn them."

Akobel nodded as they emerged into the weak winter sunlight. His mate, the omega Lily, met him outside, generally refusing to enter the toxic atmosphere that pervaded the Celestial throne room. The gentle redhead smiled at her fiery friend, leaning up to nuzzle the alpha's chin. Anna had introduced them to each other long ago, and now they were planning on trying for their first pup when heat season came around again. Other than Lucifer and her lost omega brothers, these were probably the only allies Anna had in the Celestial pack.

"We've never let you down before," Akobel commented, stripping out of his heavy, formal court clothes and folding them tightly so they would fit into Lily's pack. His slender mate had opted for a simple dress, no shoes or jacket, and she added that to the pack quickly before lacing it up. She changed first, letting Akobel strap the supplies around her waist before he joined her in wolf form. The blonde alpha and red omega yipped a quick farewell to Anna before taking off, the Southerners hoping to get to the edge of their mountains before the sun set.

Anna felt Lucifer's hand on her shoulder, her brother's pine and mint scent soothing her. "You did the right thing, helping them run."

"I know."

Anna glanced over her shoulder at the taller alpha, making sure they were alone before she spoke again. Even so, she kept her words to a whisper. "Luci, do you remember that book Metatron wrote about the ancient prophecies?"

"Sure, yeah. We read it when we were pups, before Dad left."

"Do you remember much of it? I think Metatron took it with him when he left to join Malachi's pack, but there was a specific prophecy that always stuck with me."

The blonde nodded. "You mean the Prophecy of the Fall. Yeah, that one stuck with me, too."

"I don't remember the actual words, but it had something to do with four winged omegas taking down the three packs and shattering civilization."

"Yeah, I think it was something like that. What are you getting at?"

Anna closed her eyes, leaning close to Lucifer and tucking her nose under his chin, making sure that no one could read her lips or hear her other than her brother. "They have wings."

The blonde pulled back, shock in his pale blue eyes. "You mean . . . our brothers?"

Anna nodded. "Michael will kill them if he finds out. It happened just as they went into heat, and that's when I told them to run. No matter what happens, we can't let him bring them back."

"Anna, do you know what you're saying? You would sacrifice our entire pack, our way of life, for them?"

"We don't really know what the prophecy means, Luci. And I think we should spend the winter doing research to determine that. After all, Metatron didn't see the prophecy, he just wrote it down, so he may have gotten it wrong. Besides, we can't kill our brothers."

Lucifer dropped his head as he thought about Gabe's gentle laughter, Gad's kind smile, Balthy's rambunctious spirit, and Cas's big heart. "No," Lucifer whispered, "we can't. What do we have to do to protect them from Michael?"

* * *

Gabriel was bored.

He was tired of watching his brothers leave every morning with Dean and Benny to practice flying when he was barely allowed to walk, and that only with supervision. He was tired of the quiet in his room and the noise in his head, tired of having so many things to say and no way to do so. And, gods, but he was tired of Sam's mothering.

The blonde watched his alpha caretaker in silence, a plan brewing behind his golden eyes. He hadn't lost his feelings for Sam at all, but he wanted to be free of the restrictions that the alpha made him live under. He knew that they were for his own good, so he could heal and walk properly again, but sometimes he just wanted to be alone. Between his brothers and the four wolves who had taken them in, he never got a single moment to himself and it had been a long few weeks.

Sam sat down on the bed beside Gabriel, a pair of servants having already cleared the remains of their breakfast. The alpha smiled and wrapped his arm around Gabriel's shoulders, pulling him against his side. The blonde didn't resist; this was the part of spending time with Sam that he would never tire of. He inhaled the bigger man's scent, letting it silence the voice in his head for a moment. "What are you thinking about?"

Gabriel nodded at the window opposite them, the winter sunlight streaming through the curtains. He reluctantly extricated himself from the soft embrace, walking the few steps to the bed that was currently serving as his closet, choosing a simple but warm outfit and slipping into it. Sam nodded and grabbed a jacket to throw over his own clothes, slipping into his leather boots and handing Gabe a pair of his own. "Okay, let's go outside. Do you want to go down to the lake today? Max said you should be able to walk that far without issue." Gabriel nodded, following the tall alpha out of the hospital wing.

Gabriel and Sam were greeted by many of the inhabitants of Asa's town, having become well-known in a short amount of time. When he was surrounded by people, it didn't seem to matter that Gabriel couldn't speak to them, and Sam generally did enough talking to cover the absence. It was only when he was alone that the Celestial had to fight off his growing despair at the thought of living the rest of his life without his voice. Whenever he felt that darkness gripping at him, Gabe reminded himself that he would at least be able to speak as a wolf, as soon as Sam let him change.

They walked down to the lake in silence, Sam glancing at his companion every now and then to make sure that he wasn't in any pain. They had become so close that Sam knew what Gabriel was feeling almost before the omega registered it himself. Sometimes he loved that closeness, that bond that they had formed, and sometimes it drove him crazy. Right now he had an itch under his skin, a desire to not be bound by his broken, silent human body, and he needed to get rid of Sam for a few minutes if he planned to change into wolf form.

When they got to the lake, thankfully without incident, Gabriel walked up to the edge and broke through the thin crust of ice, cupping his hands and drinking the freezing water. He smiled, reminded of winters in his home, wondering if he could convince Sam to let him go for a swim.

"Do you want to go for a swim?"

The blonde glanced over his shoulder and nodded. Sam shrugged and waved his hands at the water. "Go for it, but just for a few minutes. I know that you don't feel the cold the same way I do, but I'd hate to jeopardize your health at this point."

Gabriel stripped out of his clothes, slipping into the bracing water and reveling at the feeling of ice against his skin. He stayed under for as long as he could, surfacing just long enough to breathe before swimming out beyond the ice and slowly rising above the gentle waves. He turned back to shore and waved at Sam, smiling as he realized that the alpha had packed a couple of blankets in his ever-present supply bag, having already piled them on top of Gabriel's abandoned clothes in preparation for the omega's return.

Gabriel felt his heart skip a beat as his golden eyes met Sam's gold-hazel halfway across the lake, and he _knew_ that he was in love with this man. Gabriel realized that he had to find a way to say it, to tell Sam how much he meant to him. He dove back under the water and knifed toward shore, coming up in the hole he had broken in the ice earlier. Sam grinned and stood up to help him out of the water, glancing over his shoulder as Jo called his name from the direction of the city. The alpha smiled and pulled Gabriel out, wrapping him in a thick blanket before turning to answer the blonde alpha. "Hey, Jo; what's up?"

"Hey, Sam, I need to talk to you for a sec. I can't find Dean or Benny."

Sam nodded and cupped Gabriel's cheek in his hand. "I'll be right back, okay? Just stay warm."

Gabriel nodded, watching as the ridiculously tall man loped over to meet Jo, dwarfing the fiery alpha without even trying. She was gesticulating wildly, her brown eyes bright with whatever important message she had for her alpha's second. Sam nodded, his expression half-amused as he tried to take her concerns seriously, but he clearly did not fully agree with the urgency of her mission.

Gabriel dropped his blanket, drying himself quickly as he watched Sam's back. Eyes flashing gold, the omega called on his wolf and began to change.

Jo froze mid-word, Sam spinning around at the shock in her eyes. He felt his heart fall at the sight of golden fur quickly covering the omega as he grew larger and finished the shift to wolf. "Gabe, no!"

But it was too late. Sam shifted into his own wolf form an instant later, not even bothering to remove the clothes that fell at his feet in tattered strips. He didn't know what to do, but he knew that he could handle Gabriel better if he was in the same form. Sam watched in horror as the bright joy in Gabriel's eyes shattered; he could see the moment that the omega realized his mental voice was as dead as his physical one. Gabriel shook his head, pawing at his face as he backed away, not able to offer a growl of anger or a yip of sorrow in response to his discovery. He would never be able to speak again.

Worse, he could never tell Sam that he loved him.

And it was suddenly just too much. Gabriel had managed to hold himself together for weeks during his recovery, promising himself that, as much as he hated not being able to speak, at least he would be able to communicate with his brothers and pack mates when he was in wolf form. He hadn't lost his wolf, but without his voice he might as well be a dumb beast, one that couldn't even make wolf sounds. How could he ask Sam to love him, to mate him, when he could never form that deep bond that other mated pairs shared? Sam deserved better.

Gabriel spun on one paw and ran, screaming in his mind as tears soaked his fur. He heard Sam call after him, and he knew that the alpha was faster and would catch him in a few strides. Past caring about his own life or keeping the secret that had chased the four omegas away from their home, Gabriel flexed his shoulders and freed his wings. Turning sharply to the left, he leapt into flight, soaring over the lake and toward the dark smudge of the forest beyond it. He heard Sam curse behind him, turning to gallop the long way around the huge lake as the omega vanished into the trees.

Gabriel pulled his wings close to his body, not bothering to tuck them away in case he needed to fly again. He had no idea how he had made it across the lake, especially since he hadn't flown more than a few feet before, but despair and fear urged him onwards. He didn't know where he was going, flinching from every branch that whipped him and every root he tripped over, but he pushed himself faster in a desperate rush to _escape_.

Gabriel suddenly heard a word, a word in a language he had never encountered before, ring out through the trees, the sound pushing against his mind and body, forcing him to a stop. He sat in the leaf litter, staring down a well-worn path, his wings half-spread and his eyes wild, as a tiny redheaded woman moved into his field of view. She smiled kindly, reaching out to place a hand on his golden-furred head.

"And where are you going in such a hurry?"

Gabriel didn't move, didn't blink, having no way to communicate with this woman. He didn't recognize her accent, but the power pulsing off of her slender form was palpable. Her purple eyes bore into his, and he felt his wolf retreat, his fur and wings fading and just leaving _him_ sitting naked in the middle of the forest. "You're that wee little omega Balthazar told me about."

"Gabriel?!" Tasha appeared behind this strange woman, a taller redhead standing with her and two betas he had never met standing behind the women. "What are you doing here?"

Gabriel glared at her, shaking his head emphatically. She, of all people, knew that he had no way to answer her question. He looked up at the purple-eyed woman as she ran a soothing hand through his hair, her smile never wavering. "Time enough for questions later, Tasha. Fetch some clothes for the boy; he's had a long day and it would be safer if he stayed in this form."

Tasha glanced at the betas behind her, taking a small pile of clothes out of the supply bag and passing it to the golden-eyed omega, helping him dress before pulling him to his feet and quickly checking him for any injuries obtained in the forest. "Gabriel, were those _wings_ I saw?"

"Of course they were," the smaller redhead answered instantly. "He and his brothers all have them. Sometimes this happens with Celestial wolves, usually omegas. We'll talk about it when we reach your city."

* * *

Dean and Cas were walking slowly back to the city, the two omegas having tired of their flying practice early. Benny had suggested an early lunch, the beta and Gadreel hanging further back to give their leaders some privacy. The four wolves froze as Sam's anguished mental cry sounded in their minds, his howl following moments later from the direction of the city.

" _GABE!"_

Cas and Gadreel were off in an instant, moving faster than Dean or Benny had expected, clearing the trees moments later. Cas spotted Sam galloping toward the woods, Jo struggling to catch up as she rounded the lake. The Celestial could see the broken underbrush where Gabriel had presumably entered the trees, but it was on the southeast side of the lake and they were coming from the northwest. Without pausing to consider anything other than the fierce desire not to lose his brother, Cas flexed his shoulders and freed his huge wings, suddenly grateful that Dean had convinced them to practice flying over the past few days. He leapt into the sky, soaring over the lake and landing at the edge of the forest, Sam having already vanished into the thick trees. Gadreel landed just behind him and galloped into the trees with him.

* * *

A crashing sound echoed through the forest, a huge brown wolf appearing beside Gabriel, his hazel eyes frantic. He whined softly as he shifted back into his human form, Sam enveloping Gabriel in a tight hug. "Don't do that," he whispered.

Rowena leaned over toward Tasha. "Who's the moose?"

The Wilderness witch chuckled. "That's Sam Winchester, John's second son."

"Is that Gabriel's alpha?"

"Uh, not technically. I don't really know what's going on with those two."

Gabriel pushed Sam away, glaring up at the taller man as Cas and Gadreel jumped out of the trees, both of them shifting forms but not approaching their older brother. The silent omega sneered at Sam and waved a hand at his throat, raising his eyebrows in a question.

"I didn't know, Gabe, I swear. Tasha had no idea if you could speak in wolf form or not. I wanted to keep you from changing until we had a chance to heal you." Sam held out a hand to the shorter blonde, his hazel eyes pleading. "I didn't want you to go through this."

Jo pulled up short as she reached the edge of the clearing, shifting forms but not moving closer. Dean and Benny reached the path last, moving to stand with their omegas as they tried to take a quick mental inventory of the wolves in front of them and adjusting their friend-or-foe system accordingly. They all watched in silence as Gabriel slowly reached out and took Sam's hand, melting into the alpha's embrace and nodding slowly.

"What the hell is going on here?"

Dean rarely used his Alpha Voice, preferring not to command others unless he truly had to, but he needed to know why his entire pack had run into the woods with seemingly no provocation. Sam didn't react to the Voice at all, just wrapping Gabriel tightly in his arms and nuzzling his head, but Jo and Benny flinched back a bit, the two Celestial omegas moving closer to the alphas they were bonding with for the protection that their instincts demanded they find. Tasha stood taller, having dealt with alphas for too long to be phased, but the taller of the two new redheads moved behind her, Elvis and Bucky moving closer to Tasha and trying their best not to look at the tall Winchester alpha. The smaller redheaded witch just stared up at Dean, a slow smile spreading across her face.

It only took a moment for the slender, powerful redhead to take a step forward, purple eyes sparkling with power and amusement. "My, my; they sure do grow them big here. What's your name, green-eyes?"

"Dean," the alpha answered, raising his eyebrows at the witch before him. "Uh, I don't mean to be impolite, but what is going on? I am not used to hearing my brother so upset."

"Your brother's omega found out that he can't speak in wolf form. He had a wee bit of a mental breakdown, but he's stable for now."

Realization dawned in Dean's eyes as he relaxed his stiff posture, sensing his own pack mates calming, as well. "You're Rowena."

Sam's head shot up at his brother's words, hope dawning in his hazel eyes. "Rowena? You came? Can you help him?"

Rowena smiled and stepped forward, placing a hand on Gabriel's bowed head. She closed her eyes for a moment as she used her powers to diagnose the omega, expression unreadable as she pulled her hand away. "The damage to his mind is very severe. I've seen what Asmodeus's poisons can do, and this was one of the more virulent ones. It seems like Tasha was able to stop it before it stole any of his other senses, but it easily could have left him blind or deaf, as well."

"Please, Rowena, can you help him? I'd give anything to heal him."

The witch slowly nodded, craning her neck to meet the tall alpha's eyes. "There is a spell I know, but I've never had occasion to use it. If it works, it will cure him, but I really cannot promise anything."

Sam smiled and reached out to place a hand on Rowena's shoulder in thanks. "Even that small sliver of hope is more than we've had for weeks."

"Well, let's get back to Tasha's palace and see what we can do." Rowena waved at Tasha, asking her to take the lead as she rejoined the other redheaded omega, introducing her as Charlie, the witch's apprentice.

Cas stepped forward to join Dean, worry coloring his scent. "Where is Balthazar?"

"He's fine," Tasha assured him. "He chose to spend the winter with the main Spellbound pack in exchange for Rowena and Charlie joining us. He'll be Crowley's honored guest until the Spring Equinox."

Cas stiffened, struggling to control his flash of despair as Dean's arm slid around his waist. "I won't see him until spring?"

"Your twin is essential to the future of the three packs," Rowena assured the dark-haired omega. "All four of you are, in your own way. Trust me that he is on this path for a good reason."

Cas glanced over at Gabriel standing inside the protective circle of Sam's arms, and he slowly nodded. His twin was healthy, and his safety had been guaranteed by the mother of the Head Alpha of Spellbound, but Gabriel would die without her help. Two months without his twin was a small price to pay to save injured brother. Nodding again, Cas moved to follow the group out of the forest, all of them opting to stay in human form for Gabriel's sake.

Some of them were regretting that decision when they reached the edge of the trees and the wind picked up. Dean, Cas, Benny, Gadreel, and Jo shifted back into wolf form, Sam steeling himself against the cold so he could continue to walk beside Gabriel. He suddenly ducked his head and chuckled, reaching out to tap Jo on the shoulder. "Hey, can you go grab whatever is left of my clothes on the north edge of the lake? I think my bag of supplies is there, too." Jo nodded and took off, Gabriel looking up at the alpha with a question in his eyes. "Uh, I may have shifted without taking off my clothes when I saw that you were making the change."

Gabriel smiled and ducked his head, only just realizing how worried the tall alpha had been. He tucked himself tighter against Sam's side, watching Rowena with hope in his gold eyes. She glanced over her shoulder and winked, a promise in her purple eyes.

* * *

Charlie finished drawing the circular sigil on the floor, placing the candles perfectly and filling the metal bowl with the dozen ingredients that Rowena needed for her healing spell. Gabriel sat on the floor just inside the circle, shaking slightly as his trepidation began to grow into full-fledged panic. Sam joined him on the floor, wrapping one arm around Gabriel's shoulders and pulling him closer. "Calm down, Gabe. It's going to be fine."

They had decided to perform the healing in the hospital room that Gabriel had occupied for the past few weeks, Rowena hoping that a familiar setting filled with the omega's own scent would keep him calm. Dean, Cas, and Jo sat on one of the beds that had been pushed against the wall, Benny and Gadreel on another with Tasha and Max taking a third. Charlie sat down inside the circle near the bowl of ingredients, waiting for Rowena to join her before lighting the candles.

"So I'm going to take a peek inside your mind and examine the extent of the damage. I need to see what I can rebuilt and what I need to replace. Sam, depending on what we find, we may need to use your mind to help rebuild Gabriel's. Do you give your consent for that?"

"Yeah, of course. Whatever you need."

"It won't be pleasant," Charlie warned, lighting the herbs in the bowl and watching as smoke began to rise between them.

"I don't care. Whatever you need."

Charlie reached out to take Sam's hand, placing her other hand on Rowena's shoulder as the older witch placed her hand on Gabriel's forehead. Silence fell over the observers as both of the witches began to chant.

Gabriel felt a pressure in his head, one that grew steadily and flared up into pain, stabbing behind his eyes and moving lower. He heard himself scream in his mind, but he couldn't make a sound, only his tight grip on Sam's thigh indicating that he was in any pain at all. He felt the sting ease for a moment as Rowena's attention shifted, then the pain returned full-force.

Sam opened his eyes as he felt Gabriel try to pull away, every muscle in the omega's body trembling in agony. "Hold him still," Tasha ordered, falling to her knees at the edge of the circle but unable to enter it. Sam shifted into a kneeling position behind Gabriel, wrapping both arms around the smaller man and pushing him forward against Rowena's hand. Charlie reached out and grabbed Sam's arm again, her eyes flaring with brilliant purple light as she _grabbed_ at something in his mind. He flinched, but whatever he felt was nothing in comparison with the pain assaulting the omega in his arms. Gabriel opened his mouth in a silent scream, struggling against the arms wrapped around him in a desperate bid to escape.

Tears filled Sam's eyes as he used all of his considerable alpha strength to keep the writhing omega still, Rowena's hand glowing with an unearthly purple light as a thunderclap sounded through the room. Gabriel slumped forward as the sound faded, Rowena returning to her side of the circle and pulling Charlie back with her. The younger witch was panting, leaning her head on her mentor's shoulder for support as she struggled to control her racing heart.

The observers were silent, barely daring to breathe as Gabriel turned around in Sam's arms, golden eyes rising to meet hopeful hazel. "Gabe?" The question was barely more than a whisper, the tall alpha just seconds from losing his composure.

Gabriel opened his mouth, working his lips for a moment before swallowing and trying again. The room released a collective sigh of desperate relief at his breathy, whispered reply.

"I love you, Sam."


	5. Destined

Chapter 5: Destined

* * *

Sam let out a strangled sob, pulling Gabriel in for a bruising kiss as cheers sounded from their friends and pack mates. Gadreel and Castiel joined the pair in the circle, embracing their brother and the alpha holding him tightly. Gabriel pulled away from Sam long enough to embrace his brothers, wiping the tears from his eyes before turning to Rowena. "Thank you," he managed, his voice weak from disuse.

Rowena smiled and moved closer to the omega, running gentle fingers across his forehead as she checked her handiwork. "It looks like the graft is holding just fine. Your own brain will rework its neural connections to adjust for the repairs we made. You may find yourself forgetting how to say certain words for a while, or saying to wrong words, but it will get better the more you speak. I get the feeling that you enjoy talking, so that part should not be hard."

Gabriel grinned and turned back to Sam, glancing at Dean who had moved to sit behind his brother. "Thank you, both of you, for everything you did to help me. I can never repay you."

Dean grinned and reached over Sam's shoulder and clasped the omega's shoulder. "You don't have to, Gabe. You're family, and we take care of our family."

The blonde ducked his head and tucked it under Sam's chin, completely overwhelmed by Dean's support and his own sudden return to health. Sam stood up from the uncomfortable kneeling position he had been holding since the spell, slipping one arm under Gabriel's legs and holding him close to his chest. He wasn't willing to lose contact with the omega just yet. "I need to take him somewhere quiet where he can rest. Tasha, do you have a room?"

"Take the one that Cas, Balthy, and I have been using between hospital shifts," Gadreel offered. "You remember where it is?"

"Yeah. We'll be out in a couple of hours for supper."

Cas and Gadreel moved back to the bed against the wall, holding each other and whispering softly as they came to terms with everything that had happened since that morning. Dean pulled Benny and Tasha to the side, working out a new guest room situation since Sam and Gabriel would no longer need to stay in the hospital wing. Jo moved to join the two redheaded witches on the floor, helping to move the candles back into their protective boxes.

"Hi, I'm Jo," the blonde offered. "We didn't really get a chance for introductions earlier."

Rowena nodded politely and touched her fingers to the alpha's cheek, taking a quick measure of the woman before returning to her supplies. "I met your mother once, Jo, before you were born. She was scouting near Spellbound lands and we had a bit of a chat. Wonderful woman."

"Thank you," Jo replied, confusion in her brown eyes.

Charlie chuckled as she started to clean the sigil off of the floor. "Don't mind her, Jo; Rowena has a story about everyone. Either she knew your ancestors or she has a story about your lineage that she thinks you need to know."

"They do need to know," Rowena countered. "None of these wolves know their history, and it's high time they learned. Wait until I've had a wee nap and something to eat and I'll have some more stories for all of you. Charlie, can you finish cleaning up?"

"Yeah, of course." Rowena carefully rose to her feet, smoothing her hands down her simple purple dress before moving to join Tasha and Dean near the door. The Wilderness omega took her arm and led her out of the room, Max at their heels as the women talked about the spell the witch had just cast.

Dean tapped Benny's shoulder and nodded toward the two omegas, waiting until all three were gone before joining Jo in the center of the room. "Jo, Sam told me about the supply issue, and it's not a big deal. I'll bring it up to Asa in the morning and we'll probably lead some hunting parties out later this week."

"Alright, cool. I'll work on that in the morning. Who can I count on to join?"

Dean shrugged. "All of us will help out. Now that Gabriel is better, we don't have to stay so close to the city. We may even be able to peel Sam away from his side for a few hours."

Jo snorted as she took a wet cloth to the floor, scrubbing away the dark lines. "Yeah, right. You won't be able to pull them apart until spring."

Dean chuckled and rolled his eyes, leaving the two women to clean in peace.

Charlie watched Jo for a long moment before she decided to speak. "So, how long have you been running with the Winchester brothers?"

"Couple of years. I wanted to run with an established band for a while before I had to go home and worry about finding a mate and a place in the pack. I give them a hard time, but I love both of those boys like brothers. I couldn't ask for a better family."

"They risked a lot for Gabriel, for an omega from a rival pack. I'm kinda impressed, and so is Rowena. She came because of that."

Jo reached out with curled fingers and brushed her knuckles against Charlie's collarbone. In her pack, it was a friendly, open gesture of respect between equals. Startlingly green eyes rose to scrutinize the alpha's face, a slow grin spreading across the young witch's face. "You came, too," Jo murmured. "It couldn't have been easy, putting yourself at the mercy of this pack in the hope that you could help one broken omega find his voice."

"It couldn't have been easy, jumping into a fight with a pack of Spellbound troublemakers to save four omegas who were the brothers of your northern enemy," Charlie countered, drying the floor as she lifted her box of supplies and rose to her feet.

Jo smiled at the compliment, gently taking the box out of Charlie's hands and nodding toward the hallway. "Let me show you to your room."

* * *

"Samshine, you don't have to carry me."

The alpha chuckled as he set Gabriel down on the large bed, kneeling down in front of him. "I thought I would never hear you say that ridiculous nickname again."

"You don't mind it?"

"Not anymore. Call me whatever ridiculous nicknames you want to." He twined his fingers with Gabriel's, resting his hands on the omega's knees. After the scare that afternoon, Sam couldn't bear to not be in physical contact with the smaller blonde.

Gabriel chuckled. "I'm sure I'll think of plenty more. I heard Rowena call you a moose when she first saw you; what do you think of Samoose?"

"Fine, but try not to use it in front of Dean. He'll never let me live it down." Sam reached up and cupped Gabriel's cheek in his hand, running the fingers of his other one through the blonde's hair. "Say it again, Gabe."

The omega smiled, knowing exactly what Sam wanted. Later, much later, he would reflect upon the loss of his voice as the catalyst for his bond with the tall alpha, but right now he was just happy that they were together. "I love you, Sam."

"I love you, too, Gabe."

"Great! Does that mean you'll finally court me?"

Sam grinned and wrapped his arms around the omega, falling onto the bed with the Celestial stretched across his chest. "Gabe, I will court you, I will mate you, I will do anything you want. I'm just glad you're better."

"Does that mean we can move out of the hospital wing? I am so tired of those beds."

"Well, yeah, of course. You could have moved out when Max removed your stitches, but it was easier for us all to watch you in a room with a half-dozen beds."

Gabriel tucked his head under Sam's chin, understanding exactly what the alpha wouldn't say. "It was a suicide watch."

"Yeah," Sam replied softly. "Tasha didn't know if you lost your mental voice, but I knew that it would be the final straw for you. We had to keep you from changing."

"Well, at least I understand why you were so frantic at the lake. I didn't . . . when I realized that I had no voice, I panicked. I wanted . . . I _needed_ to tell you how I felt. I'm sorry I ran."

"No, Gabe, don't be. I have no idea what you were going through, and I am just so glad that Rowena intercepted you."

"They all saw my wings," Gabe whispered. "I don't even know how I flew across that lake, but I never bothered to fold them away when I got to the woods."

"And that's something we'll deal with later," Sam replied, how tone broking no argument. "For now, you're going to get a little rest."

"Alright, Sam." Gabe inhaled the alpha's soothing scent, closing his eyes and letting darkness claim him. For the first time in weeks, his dreams were pleasant.

* * *

They saw the huge Spellbound fortress hours before they reached it. The tall, spindly black castle rose above the hilly land in a watchful silence, both ominous and comforting at the same time. Meg and Ruby paused at the top of the hill overlooking the dormant farmland below, raising their heads to the sky and howling across the emptiness. Balthazar listened as a faint voice answered, following the two females as they headed down toward the castle.

" _Crowley is going to meet us at the gates."_

" _Did you tell him that Rowena isn't here?"_

Ruby snorted, the sound flashing as a roll of her eyes in his mind. _"No thanks, I'd like a chance to explain myself in person. I have to act like this isn't anything out of the ordinary."_

The trio made it to the front gates before they were met by anyone. Two alpha guards stood in their path, each one holding a spear crossed over their chests. The taller man glanced at his companion, stepping forward and holding his spear out in a defensive stance. "Ruby, who is your new companion?"

The two Spellbound females switched forms, Balthazar shrugging out of the supply pack and following their lead. He swung the bag onto his shoulders and tightened the straps around his chest, standing halfway behind Meg and keeping his blue eyes averted. No matter what Michael thought, Balthazar and his brothers knew how to behave like "proper omegas" when it was required of them.

The taller of the guards stepped forward, sniffing in the direction of the blonde omega but not daring to step past Meg. She might be only a beta, but she had a reputation for ruthlessness among her pack and very few wolves would dare to cross her. "You brought a Wilderness wolf here? Where are Rowena and Charlie?"

Ruby straightened and stepped forward, glaring at the alpha who had questioned her. "Where is Crowley? You said he would meet us here." She outranked him among the overall Spellbound pack, a member of Crowley's inner circle, so defying her wouldn't end well for the alpha guard.

The younger, dark-skinned alpha guard glanced over his shoulder through the open gate and nodded at another guard standing in the shadows. A few moments later, that guard stepped forward, a dark, brooding man walking just behind him. He was a couple of inches shorter than Balthazar with dark hair and a scruffy beard, his red eyes never leaving the omega as he slowly advanced on the group. Ruby's lighter red eyes never left his dark crimson ones, but Meg kept her gaze averted and Balthazar stared at his feet. He knew better than to intentionally irritate the Head Alpha of another pack during their first meeting.

"Where is my mother?"

His voice was deeper than Balthazar had expected, and he spoke with an interesting accent that was different than Rowena's but sounded somewhat similar. Ruby shrugged and glanced away from her alpha, feigning a nonchalance that she certainly didn't feel. "She had urgent business with Tasha and her pack. They have a severely wounded omega who required her special healing skills. She took Charlie with her, of course, and asked that we entertain the omega's brother for the rest of the winter."

Balthazar gasped as the symbol on his arm began to tingle, pulling his sleeve up and placing his fingers on the purple mark as Tasha had instructed him. He knew that the other five wolves had turned to him at the motion, but he had to know why the witch was calling him.

" _Balthazar, good. I was worried you wouldn't answer."_ The whisper echoed in his mind, and he resisted the urge to shake his head at the weird buzzing it left behind.

"Uh, yeah, I'm here," he whispered back, his eyes closed as he concentrated on the bond. "Did something happen?"

" _Rowena healed your brother."_

The omega fell to his knees in a cross between shock and relief, some detached part of his mind registering Meg's arms wrapping around him in support. "Thank you. Thank her for me, please. Is he okay?"

" _Yeah, he's fine. He's resting right now, but Rowena said it worked completely."_ There was the sensation of a chuckle from the brown-skinned witch. _"His first words were 'I love you, Sam,' so I think he's going to be okay."_

"I'm glad. Thank you for all of your help, Tasha. Tell my brothers that I'm okay."

" _I will."_ Tasha's voice faded from his mind as the omega looked up, taking a deep breath before letting Meg help him to his feet.

"How is your brother?"

"Rowena healed him. He's fine." Balthazar grinned and gripped Meg's arms briefly before stepping away from the beta.

Crowley cleared his throat. "If you are quite done."

Balthazar raised his blue eyes to meet Crowley's crimson, a flash of anger rising in his chest at the alpha's tone. "Yeah, I'm sorry that my suicidal brother's health interrupted your posturing, but you can bite me."

Ruby gasped and Meg froze at the omega's insolent tone. Crowley tilted his head, his eyes widening almost imperceptibly in shock as Balthazar clenched his jaw and glared back. He might be an omega, but he had no problems standing up for his family.

The tableau shattered as Crowley threw his head back and laughed, one hand over his heart and the other reaching out in a welcoming gesture toward the taller omega. "I haven't met anyone with such spirit in many a year. What's your name, omega?"

"Balthazar." He held out his arms, palms up, and smiled as Crowley reached out to grasp his elbows, leaving behind a trace of his scent. "I'm a son of Chuck and Naomi."

"Really? A Spellbound wolf coming from Wilderness lands?"

"We had a run in with your northern subjects," Balthazar replied, stepping closer to Crowley as Ruby and Meg moved to the side. "Dean and his pack saved us. And now your mother has saved my brother from the injuries Asmodeus inflicted on him."

"If I could do something about Cain and his misbegotten brood, know that I would." Crowley glanced over his shoulder at the guard who had led him out of the gates. "Fetch Linda for me. Our guest will need somewhere to stay." He turned back to Balthazar and gestured for the tall blonde to follow him. "How long did my mother say she would be gone?"

"She told me to return to the border on the Spring Equinox."

"Well, I guess we should get you settled, Balthazar. I have a feeling we're going to have an interesting winter."

Ruby exchanged a charged look with Meg, who shrugged before following their Head Alpha into the city. At least he wasn't angry about his mother.

* * *

Dean's pack, including the three omegas, had joined Asa's pack for supper, eating at a single long table in the main hall. It was the first time since they arrived that the two packs had eaten together instead of each small group snacking in their rooms or eating by the lake. Gabriel's voice rose above all others, the omega clearly making up for lost time as he officially met each of the members of the small Wilderness pack that had helped save his life. Rowena and Charlie sat with Tasha at the head of the table, the witchy conversation above generally everyone's head, even Max not following some of it. Jo, seated beside Charlie, passed her new friend one of the sliced pink fruits from the center platter and catching her attention during a sudden lull in the witch conversation.

"Charlie, can I ask you a question? I worry that it might be too personal."

The omega shrugged and tried the fruit. "Hey, this is pretty good. What is it?"

"It's a type of melon that grows south of our border. Only Asa's pack trades for them, but they will all be gone soon. In the middle of winter, we only have jams and preserves."

"Huh, cool. Yeah, ask away."

Jo ran one hand through her hair, glancing at her plate. "Tasha, Rowena, and Max all have purple eyes, and I always thought that it was the sign of a witch. But you have powers, too."

"And you want to know why my eyes are green?"

"Yeah."

"That's not too personal, at least in Spellbound lands. Rowena explains it better than I do, but only naturally-born witches have purple eyes. The children of witches who only have latent power will have red eyes, and the rest of us just have normal eyes."

"You weren't born with your powers?"

Charlie shook her head. "Nope. Rowena found me as a pup and trained me to be a witch. I draw my power from certain tattoos, sigils, and relics, but I don't technically have any power of my own. Generally I catalyze her spells, or act as her anchor. Sometimes I perform a supporting task like you saw with the spell we just did for Gabriel. I can do some things on my own, but I will never be as strong as Tasha or Max."

Jo met Charlie's intense emerald eyes, glancing down at the omega's arm briefly and wondering if the tattoo on her inner arm was her only one. "You have more than one tattoo?"

Charlie winked saucily before turning back to her meal. "Maybe if you behave, I'll show you sometime." Jo's eyes widened as she struggled to find a response, eventually returning to her meal in silence.

Rowena glanced across the table at Gabriel, tilting her head curiously as she caught the omega's golden eyes. "You want to know what I was talking about when we first met, about the physical feature that Celestial wolves sometimes have."

Gabriel nodded, glancing at Castiel as silence descended on the table. Asa's mother, Lorraine, leaned across the table from her position at the opposite end, glancing at Elvis and Bucky who seemed to know what the witch was referencing. "What are you talking about, Rowena?"

The witch nodded at the three omega brothers. "It's their burden, if they wish to share it. I can explain the history and the import of their situation, but only they can agree to trust your pack with this secret."

Dean cleared his throat and turned to Asa. "I've accepted them into my pack, after learning of their secret. They have a situation that forced them to leave their lands on pain of death. I have no problem with it, but if you do, we will gladly leave in the morning. I won't put your pack at risk without your consent."

Asa tilted his head, blue-green eyes watching his fellow alpha curiously. "Is my pack in danger from retaliation in relation to this secret, even if we don't know what it is?"

"Yeah, I think you might be. I don't think Michael would venture this far south, and Rowena seems to think that Crowley would not see this as a threat, but I can't promise you anything."

Asa snorted. "Neither of them concern me, Dean. We've been at war for so long that a new danger from Celestial or Spellbound won't phase my pack. I'd rather know the danger, but I can promise you that nothing will convince me to send you away in the dead of winter."

Dean closed his eyes and bowed his head gratefully, that small gesture putting him at the mercy of the ginger alpha. Castiel turned toward Rowena and nodded, giving her permission to reveal their secret to this small, tightly-knit pack.

"I think I should start from the beginning. This is a long story, so please bear with me. None of the packs remember this anymore, but once upon an age, there was only one huge tribe here."

Asa's mother, the omega Lorraine, snorted from her end of the table. "How can you know that if the three packs have forgotten? I've heard that you are old, but you cannot possibly remember a time before the war."

Rowena chuckled, clearly used to such skepticism. "Ah, lass, I'm so much older than I look. I was already old when your great-great-grandfathers fought alongside Matthew Winchester to gain control of the Wilderness lands. My son was born before Henry Winchester, though he doesn't look anywhere close to that age. I knew when Chuck was King of the Three Lands."

"What?" Castiel leaned forward, his eyes narrowed in that confused, disbelieving way that Dean found so endearing. "Chuck, as in my father? Rowena, that can't be true."

"Do you know how old he is, pup?"

"I don't know, sixty?"

Rowena smiled softly to herself. "Multiply that by ten and you're close. Your father ruled as the King of the Three Lands for over a hundred years before civil war broke the tribe, and you have been at war ever since."

Sam did the math in his head, shaking his head in amazement. "Rowena, you can't be five hundred years old! That's not possible."

The redhead grinned and shrugged, running her fingers through her curled hair. "I am the most powerful witch this land has ever seen, and I look good for my age."

"My father is not a witch," Gadreel countered, leaning forward on his arms. "How could he have possibly lived for that long?"

"He and his twin sister Amara were born with a special bond that bestowed upon them a grand measure of the kind of magic that is only rarely seen in Celestial wolves nowadays, and then only minutely so. Like me, your father and aunt are effectively immortal. However, he and his sister disagreed on how to handle the civil uprising and he eventually lost control of his throne. Amara disappeared, and Chuck stayed in the mountains to rule what was left of his people. The most powerful witches, including the coven that had raised and trained me, headed east, and the bulk of his warriors headed south. That is why the Wilderness wolves are known for their strength and fighting prowess and the Spellbounds are known for their magical powers."

"What are Celestials known for?"

Rowena grinned, taking a sip of her wine before answering. "Some of their children can fly."

Castiel gasped at the implication that his wings were not so uncommon, instinctively grabbing for Dean's arm as his brothers also reached for their partners. Bucky and Elvis nodded at each other as Randy and Garth leaned over to stare at the three Celestials. Asa frowned slightly before shrugging and gesturing for Rowena to continue, glancing at Gabriel as he figured out what Rowena had seen when she arrived.

The witch nodded as she continued her story. "Each pack was formed by a certain subset of the original tribe, so the power that Spellbounds have never shows up in other packs, just as that wild, untamed strength never shows up anywhere except Wilderness lands. The differences between our three peoples was the catalyst for the civil war."

"And the wings? Only Celestials can have them?"

"Yes. They used to be more common, of course. In the old days, winged wolves served as scouts and messengers, enforcing peace through the Three Lands under Chuck's rule. Most of them were omegas, since no one of any tribe would dare harm them, and even now the wings are more common with omega pups. They will show up when the omega is in heat, usually three to five years after their first one. Our theory was that the wings appeared when the wolves were grown enough to serve."

"Is that what we are, messengers?" Castiel's cobalt eyes eagerly searched Rowena's face for some hint of his purpose in life, for the reason he had sprouted wings at twenty years old.

"In a way, yes. You are meant to be messengers, but the four of you are more than that. There is a prophecy that you are the harbingers of a grand destiny, one that will destroy the three packs."

"How is that a 'grand destiny'?" Castiel demanded, clenching his fist on the table. "Apparently the Celestials are the only ones who remember that prophecy, and I know that Michael would kill all of us to keep it from coming to pass."

Rowena titled her head. "Castiel, destruction is not a bad thing. The disparate packs have to be broken before the new King can rise."

Gabriel reached across Sam and grabbed his brother's hand, offering Castiel some measure of support and comfort. "Rowena, who is the new King? Michael?"

"I don't know. I never saw that. All I saw was the war to destroy the three packs and clear the way for the King. All I know is that Chuck will never take up that mantle again; it angered Amara too much when he was the ruler, and he has spent the last five years sequestered with her in the mountains north of your home. He won't abandon her again."

"You saw?" Gadreel tilted his head, golden eyes flicking to his brothers before returning to Rowena. "Are you the prophet that Metatron quoted?"

"No, dear, not me. I only channeled what prophets saw, since they couldn't articulate their visions. I was there five hundred years ago when my bonded prophet saw this future, and I related the story to Metatron when he visited my lands so many decades ago. I knew that only the Celestials needed to know, so I had him write a book of all of the prophecies I had ever channeled. There were hundreds, and I think that most of them have come to pass already, but this one is still in the future. If the four of you live, I can guarantee that the packs will fall. I cannot guarantee that the new King will rise, because my prophet could never see past you and your brothers."

"So the future of all three lands rests on the shoulders of these four omegas that we rescued?"

"Yes, Dean, precisely."

"What can we do to ensure that it is a good future?"

The witch shrugged, a warning glint in her purple eyes. "You could kill them."

Three growls filled the air instantly at her words, Jo's lighter voice joining Dean, Sam, and Benny a moment later. Charlie chuckled at their reaction, reaching over to rub her thumb over the back of Jo's hand, slowly calming the alpha. The three Celestial omegas copied the gesture, knowing that there was no threat behind Rowena's words and needing to reassure their partners that there was no danger in the room.

"I would hazard a guess that your reactions render that option impossible."

"No kidding," Dean snapped, his eyes flashing with a hint of alpha anger.

"Good." The offended alphas and beta fully relaxed at the word, knowing in that moment that Rowena was on their side. "I wanted to make sure that they would be protected before I tell you your fates." She glanced over at Tasha and tilted her head, some silent communication passing between the witches.

"This part is not for us, Asa," Tasha announced, rising to her feet and holding a hand out to her mate. Asa, his mother, his children, and his pack mates followed her out of the room, leaving Rowena and Charlie alone with Dean's extended pack.

"I saw the prophecy in her mind, the prophet I channeled, and there are only three outcomes to this situation. One, all of the omegas die, which is obviously an unacceptable situation. Two, the omegas are emotionally broken and never catalyze the war. Three, the omegas create bonds with wolves from the three packs and tear through the fabric of our society. There is a long path ahead of you, and there is no distinction between the second and third options until the very end. If you succeed, the King will rise. If you fail, the omegas will still die, but the packs will be left too broken to ever recover."

Dean stared at the witch, unable to move as Castiel climbed into his lap for some measure of comfort. He slowly closed his arms around the omega, surprised at how small the man could make himself when he was upset. "You know, I was okay with this prophecy before, but now I really hate it."

Rowena smiled sadly. "I know. Trust me, I hated it myself five hundred years ago, and that was before Chuck lost control of the tribes and his people fragmented. I never told him about this future until fifty or so years ago. Sometimes I think that we could have prevented the fracture, that we could have held the Three Lands together, if only I had been braver back then. I was a young apprentice witch, like young Charlie here, and I believed my High Priestess when she said that witches needed to live separate from the brutish warriors and the flighty messengers in order to hone our powers. It took me a hundred years to realize that I had helped cause the Fall."

Jo looked at her pack mates; Dean with Cas huddled into a ball in his arms, Sam with Gabriel cuddled in his lap, and Benny with Gadreel leaning against his shoulder. She felt a sudden surge of alpha protectiveness, a desire to help keep these omegas from harm. "It wasn't your fault, Rowena. It sounds like the split was a long time coming. The only thing we can do now is move forward, protect these three and their brother, and make a future that we will all be happy to live in." She smiled at her alpha, Dean slowly returning the gesture as he relaxed. "All we have to do is see where this path takes us, and find this King, who I assume will be an alpha."

"Aye, he will. That is all I know. It might be Michael, or his brother Lucifer; it could be John or one of his two sons; it could be Crowley or Cain for all I know. It may happen far enough in the future to be one of your pups. The only thing I know is that the King will rise at the end, when the tribes are weakest, assuming that the four omegas still stand."

* * *

"Sam, it's too much to process. I still have questions, but all I can think about is how ominous her words sounded. The fate of every wolf that any of us has ever known rests on me and my little brothers. I don't know how to handle that."

"One day at a time," Sam replied, stripping out of his clothes and slipping into the one bed in the guest room Tasha had given them. The two had to wait for John Winchester's permission to mate, but that didn't prevent them from sleeping together and cuddling like they had done the entire time Gabriel was healing.

The smaller omega curled up against his side, resting his head on Sam's chest as the alpha's arm wrapped around him. "I'm honestly revisiting the suicide watch conversation in my mind. I know that Cas has already thought that everything would be better if we returned to our own lands and let Michael kill us."

"No! Gabe, that is _not_ an option! I don't care about the dangers or risks we are taking here; I'm going to be with you. I love you too much to do anything else."

"I know," the blonde soothed, closing his eyes. "I just hope Dean can keep Cas as grounded."

* * *

Cas sat on the edge of his bed for hours, staring at nothing with glazed-over blue eyes, barely breathing. Gadreel, who had been sharing the room with his brother, had run to get Dean before leaving, hoping that the alpha could help his little brother. For the moment, Dean just let him sit and think, knowing that sometimes it was the best choice.

Finally, so softly that Dean almost missed it, Cas spoke. "What even is a messenger? Some kind of peacekeeper? Am I a weapon?"

"I don't know," Dean answered honestly. "I don't know what's going to happen. But, to be honest, two of Rowena's options kinda suck, so I'm going to try for the third."

Cas couldn't help the small smile that tugged at his lips. "No, I really don't relish the idea of being dead or broken, either."

Dean moved from his chair to the bed, tentatively reaching out to rest an arm around Cas's shoulders. "I kinda like the idea of you standing by my side when I watch the new King rise. What do you think of that?"

Cas leaned against Dean's side and smiled as he felt the alpha's fingers in his hair. The simple motion helped to soothe his nerves, letting him work through Rowena's words rationally so that he could decide what to ask her when they spoke in the morning. The witch had indicated that the omegas would have more questions the next day before gently sending them all to bed. Whenever she spoke to him, Cas felt like an errant pup, but it reminded him of the way his mother had treated him when he was very young and he almost craved that warmth.

"I think you are propositioning me," Cas replied flippantly, his mood significantly lighter.

Dean grinned and leaned down to kiss Cas's forehead. "Do you want me to?"

Cas looked up, having slouched down somewhat in the alpha's arms, and offered the traditional request. "Dean Winchester, will you court me?"

"Of course I will." Dean kissed Cas's forehead gently before pulling the omega to his feet and gesturing for him to undress. "Take your clothes off so we can get some sleep." Cas raised one eyebrow before pulling his shirt off. "Just sleep," Dean assured him, removing his own shirt and tossing it on a nearby chair. Cas's omega instincts bristled at the untidiness, but his eyes settled on the four jagged scars across Dean's upper left bicep and those thoughts vanished.

Cas reached up and ran his fingers across the scars, eyes tightened in pain. "I wish you had let Tasha heal these. I'm so sorry, Dean."

The alpha shrugged. "I'm not. You taught me a lesson that day, and I'll keep the scars so I don't forget it. I didn't take the time to figure out what was going on with you and your brothers, and I attacked an omega, which is unforgivable. These are scars I deserve."

Cas frowned and shook his head, but he knew that he couldn't refute the alpha's words. He glanced over his shoulder at the bed, whining low in his throat.

"What is it?"

"Dean, can we . . . can we sleep in wolf form? I just . . . I'll feel better that way."

"Of course, Cas." Dean shifted and found a spot on the rug in the center of the room, laying on his side as Cas shifted and stretched out beside him. The omega twitched his shoulders and freed his wings, stretching them out to cover Dean like a blanket before burying his nose in the alpha's neck. Sighing in contentment, the omega let sleep claim him.

* * *

"How many other Celestials have been born with wings?"

Rowena looked up from her cross stitch for a moment, tilting her head at the young omega. She had taken the three boys down to the lake, Charlie sitting with her and Jo serving as the only guard, currently patrolling around the lake. Dean had vehemently disagreed with her decision, but the witch ignored his protests and did what she wanted. She knew that the three Celestials had questions that they might feel more comfortable asking without their Wilderness partners hovering nearby, and honestly the alpha overprotective scent had been almost too much at breakfast that morning.

"Three others in the past twenty years. One of them has already sprouted wings, and the other two will this year during their heat."

"How do you even know this?"

Charlie snorted. "Cas, you should just accept that she _knows_. If it helps, a witch will keep her bond with her prophet until the next prophet is chosen."

"Is your prophet still alive?"

Rowena shook her head. "No, that wee lass died almost five hundred years ago. Another one has not been called yet. Unfortunately, all I'm seeing is an echo of what I used to channel, so I can't clarify the image. All I know is that one lives in Wilderness lands and is the offspring of a powerful Celestial from one of the splinter packs. The second two currently live in Spellbound lands, though both have to be at least half Celestial in order to have inherited their wings. I don't have any way to know if I have ever met them, though it's possible that I have. They're both young, but they will come into their power soon. I'm reasonably certain that all three of them are omegas, but I can't make out their genders or faces. I do know that you'll need all three of them to complete your quest."

Gadreel crossed his arms over his chest, working his jaw in that strange way that meant he was thinking something over. "I'm going to assume that you have no more for us than that."

"Nope, that's all I know. I knew when the four of you were born, of course, but there was only one surge of power each year. I didn't realize there were four of you until I met Balthazar. I could see the bone structure that indicated a winged Celestial, though no one else alive would know how to accurately identify you."

"Is it unusual to have so many messengers born at once?"

"Nowadays it is. In the past, we would have a dozen or more in each generation. There was a hundred year gap between the last messenger and the half-Wilderness pup. He was an alpha."

Gabriel leaned forward, his cross stitch abandoned in his lap. Rowena had suggested the activity as it was popular among omegas in her land, and the three Celestials had been eager to learn. During long, cold winters it helped to have something to do. "Was that alpha your mate?"

The witch closed her eyes briefly, the needle in her hand shaking. "We weren't mated, but we were together. After Fergus was born as an alpha, I had to leave Celestial lands. They are not welcoming of half-breed alphas in their pack. My partner was not willing to leave his tribe, even though I warned him that his fate was a bloody one." She paused for a long moment, her hands still in her lap as Charlie leaned over and wrapped a comforting arm around her waist. "I never found out the exact reason, whether it was his wings or his son, but his pack eventually tore him apart. Fergus never got to meet his father."

Charlie took up the narrative from there, giving Rowena some time to recover. She may not have been mated to that Celestial alpha, but she had cared for him. "In general, less than a dozen winged wolves have been born each century since the Fall, most of them hiding their true nature from the other Celestial wolves. I've actually studied the issue in depth, and I think that there was a loss of something when the packs split. Other than the four of you, sons of Chuck, there may not be any other purebred Celestial messengers. The others are of mixed parentage, as far as Rowena knows. I think that there would be more witches, more messengers, and more legacies if there was more breeding between the packs."

"What are legacies?"

"It's a colloquial term, and I don't think any of you use it anymore. It's what Rowena calls the more powerful Wilderness wolves, the ones who are stronger than they should be or can run longer and faster than their pack mates. It's not as noticeable as messengers or witches, but you already know a few legacies. Sam and Dean, for example, are legacies, as is their father and their grandfather. Their mother is a half-legacy, since her father was one, and I've heard that she is quite the warrior herself. Asa is a half-legacy and his daughter is a full one, as is Jo. It's that insane strength and power that has let the Wilderness Pack keep the Celestials and Spellbounds at bay for so many hundreds of years even though we have magic on our side and Michael's pack has the advantage of numbers."

"What happens when a legacy mates with a messenger?"

Rowena touched Charlie's wrist, indicating that she would answer. "Anything could happen. Fergus isn't a witch or a messenger, but he does have some latent powers and he was able to overcome Abaddon for control of the Spellbound pack, even though she is also half-witch. He was also able to cast Cain out, which Abaddon was never strong enough to do, and he is aging as slowly as a powerful witch. The pup can take after either parent, or be a powerful amalgamation of both. However, if only one parent has one of these special traits, there is a very low chance of it passing on to the pups. Except, somehow, with the Winchester line that manages to pop out at least one legacy every generation."

Charlie reached into her satchel and produced a roll of parchment, passing it to Cas. "I keep track of every special pup throughout the three packs. Sometimes we do not identify them at birth, especially messengers, but I try to notate them when we do meet."

"Wow, Charlie; this is really impressive." Gadreel ran his finger across his family tree, his own name written in beautiful calligraphy beside Gabriel's. They and the younger twins had small wing images above their names, clearly marking them as messengers. "Did you just update this part here?"

"Yes, as soon as I knew all of your names. I keep notes separately, and these are just the travel versions of my family trees. I have more complete, intricate ones at home." She took her scrolls back and rolled them back up, returning them to her bag carefully. "This is one of those projects that Rowena assigns to her apprentices. I think that Tasha kept the records before me."

Castiel pushed himself to his feet, his crafts abandoned on his blanket, walking a few steps closer to the lake. Jo noticed him instantly, running up to make sure he was okay. Cas smiled and ran his fingers through her blonde fur, patting her shoulder before returning to his seat. Satisfied that the omegas were still safe, Jo headed for the forest border to continue her patrol.

"Are we weapons?" When he had asked Dean the same question, there had been trepidation in his tone, but he no longer feared the answer.

"Of course you are, child. So am I. So are Charlie and Tasha. So are Sam, Dean, and Jo. We are all weapons in this great, unending war between the packs, though none of us have been used to full effect in generations. Being a weapon is a powerful thing, a great feeling, as long as you are in control of where you are aimed."

"I'd like to be aimed at Asmodeus," Gabriel growled, his fists clenched in his lap. "I'd like to be strong enough to pay him back for what he did to me."

Rowena nodded. "Fine, focus on that. I can teach you your history and your purpose here, and your new pack mates can teach you to fight. They will be far superior teachers to the ones you had in Celestial lands."

Jo appeared beside Rowena, gently nudging the tiny witch to catch her attention. None of the omegas could hear her thoughts while in human form, but Rowena was a powerful enough witch to hear anyone in wolf form, no matter their pack or tribe. _"It's going to start snowing soon, and it smells like one of the bad squalls from the mountains. You might want to take this garden party indoors."_

Rowena nodded and tucked her cross stitch and supplies back into her small bag. "Jo tells me that a storm is coming, and Wilderness wolves have always been known for their weather sense."

The group headed back to the city, Jo sending Rowena the mental equivalent of an eye roll at the three Wilderness males waiting for them. The witch nodded in agreement, moving to stand in front of the three male omegas before crossing her arms over her chest and glaring.

Dean, who had already taken a step forward to embrace Castiel, paused, confusion overriding the anxious color of his scent. Sam and Benny stood just behind him, taking their cues from their alpha and waiting patiently for him to resolve this odd confrontation with Rowena. "What's wrong? What happened?"

"Nothing's wrong, pup," Rowena replied. "That's most of the problem, as a matter of fact. You and your brother are not taking care to control your emotions, and your worry is stinking up the place, even though these omegas are in no immediate danger. I've had a nice, long chat with these boys about their future, and they have more or less come to terms with it. I need the three of you to find a way to be okay with it if any of us are going to survive this coming war."

Dean clenched his jaw and glanced at Castiel standing behind the petite witch, stormy green eyes meeting clear blue as some silent communication passed between them. Slowly, clearly unhappy with the idea, Dean relaxed his body and let his scent clear. Sam and Benny followed his lead, the redheaded witch finally stepping aside and letting them embrace their omegas.

"Dean, we want you to teach us to fight."

"Sure, Cas, whatever you want. I've seen you fight, though; you're already pretty good."

"We were trained by a Celestial peacekeeper, but he is nowhere near the warrior that Wilderness pack can produce. Rowena told us that we are weapons, and we want to be good ones." Cas smiled and lightly punched Dean's shoulder. "She said you're a weapon, too. We're the same, just from different lands."

"Really?" Dean wrapped his arm around Cas's shoulders and led him back into the city, looking up as the first flakes of snow floated down out of the sky. "Weapons for this war?"

"We used to be weapons to defend the Three Lands, apparently. The witches, the messengers like me, and the legacies like you were meant to keep the packs together. Now we mostly fight each other, except for messengers who have been systematically killed in my lands the last few times they popped up. Rowena says that we should learn how to fight so we can choose where we are aimed. I think that you and your pack mates would make able teachers."

"Sounds like a good idea to me. I'm sure we can figure out how to work flying into your attack rotation, as well, and we'll train on days that we don't head out to hunt." He glanced up again, narrowing his eyes at the dark clouds racing to fill the sky. "It's going to be a long winter."

* * *

Linda Tran was an interesting woman. She was almost a foot shorter than Balthazar, possibly the smallest adult in the entire castle, but she bossed everyone around better than anyone except Crowley. Even the Head Alpha would bow to her will from time to time. The beta had two pups following in her shadows, silently appraising Balthazar as he was led on a tour of the city. Her biological son, Kevin, shared her pale complexion, straight black hair, and black eyes, though the young omega was taller than his mother. Her other son, an adopted Celestial, was close to Kevin in height, though he had light brown hair, faintly freckled skin, and light brown eyes.

Balthazar recognized the adopted Celestial's scent immediately, having already learned his true identity in the forest. Fifteen years earlier, during a violent incursion into Celestial lands, the Spellbound pack had killed Naomi's sister, a vicious beta who had even more restrictive views on omegas than the rest of her family. Balthazar was glad that his young cousin did not have to be raised by that toxic woman, and instead had been found by this stern but loving beta.

At some point during the tour, Linda paused to speak with a fruit merchant, leaving the three omegas to speak in peace. Samandriel leaned closer to Balthazar and took a tentative sniff, not getting too close even though omegas rarely minded being scented by their own subgender. "You smell like me, a little."

Balthazar nodded. "Our mothers were sisters. Your birth mother . . . she didn't have a high opinion of omegas. She was one of the strongest voices in council urging my parents to take a strong 'interest' in where my brothers and I ended up."

The younger omega nodded. "I know some things about her, and my father. Crowley told me that they were disappointed that I was an omega, that they didn't want me. He said I was left behind in the raid, even before my birth parents were killed."

"I wasn't there, I was far too young, but that sounds like my unlamented aunt and uncle. You're far better off here, where at least they seem to have some respect for omegas."

Samandriel nodded. "I have heard some things about Michael that makes me glad he's not _my_ brother, Balthazar. I'll assume they are all true."

"Yeah, they are." He could tell from their stances and mannerisms that the younger omegas were not used to being around other people; both of them reacted to the slightest sound even though they consciously tried to control the instinct. "How long have you been living in the city? I remember Meg saying something about the return being recent."

"Yeah, we've only been here a couple of months. We met Meg and Ruby briefly when they came to the castle to collect Rowena and Charlie. I have to admit, neither of us were brave enough to speak with the witches. This is the first time Mother has brought us to town for more than a day or two. We've lived along the border our whole lives, manning the guard stations and moving around with the seasons. I think she wanted to protect us from the city politics. Kevin's father was a Celestial, so we both have some extra-acute senses that helped us avoid detection while still getting valuable information for Crowley."

"And now you've come to town to mate?"

Kevin snorted. "Alfie has, and Mother wants me to, but I don't really care about that. I'm more of a scholar than a pup factory for some horny alpha."

Balthazar and Samandriel both rolled their eyes at that, knowing that Kevin didn't truly believe his words but understanding the sentiment. Now that he had a choice in who he would mate, the blue-eyed Celestial found that he also had little urge to choose. "Wait, Alfie?"

Samandriel laughed and shook his head. "Kevin has called me that since we were young pups. Unfortunately, Crowley heard him and he's taken a liking to my nickname."

"Where did it come from?"

"He has a stupid strangled howl in wolf form," Kevin replied, grinning widely at his younger brother. "You listen to him sometime and see if it doesn't sound like _alf alf alfeeeeeeee_."

Linda returned to the trio before Balthazar could reply, but he did take a moment to offer his own nickname to the brothers. "If you don't mind me calling you Alfie, you're welcome to call me Balthy. We both have ridiculously long and pompous Celestial names, so we might as well make it easy on ourselves."

Linda finally led the group to the castle proper, Balthazar catching Ruby's eye where she and Meg lounged at a guard station outside. He smiled as the pair climbed down to meet him, both of them greeting Linda as befitted her status as the official pack leader of her tiny band.

"Beta, may we speak with Balthazar?"

"For a moment," Linda replied sharply, the smile in her eyes belying her harsh words. "I have to get the boys settled before supper is served."

Ruby grinned and nodded at the restriction. "How has our local tiger mom been treating you?"

"Wonderfully," he answered honestly. "My own mother never had much to do with us, so she's a bit of fresh air, to be honest."

Linda snorted. "Great, it looks like I've adopted another son."

"He needs your firm hand, Mother," Kevin teased, tapping Balthazar with a half-curled fist in a gesture of camaraderie. "Besides, I'm pretty sure all three of us are related anyway, so he's at least a cousin or something."

"Well, Meg and I will leave you to get set up. It's going to be a hard winter, and you'll be grateful to have our best spy looking after you."

Linda apparently owned a small wing of the imposing castle, on the third floor looking north toward the city's gardens. She assigned Balthazar the bedroom next to Samandriel's, though they all shared a common living and dining area. Since he hadn't brought any supplies at all, the two boys offered Balthazar some simple clothes from their own wardrobes to tide him over until Linda could have him something made in town.

Balthazar looked around the small bedroom in amazement. It was sparsely furnished, with only a bed, a table, and a single chair, but he could see the gardens out of the window and he didn't have to share with anyone. Never in his life had the omega slept alone; his mother had only allotted one bedroom suite to each set of twins. Even in Asa's home he had shared a room with Castiel and Gadreel, one of them always sleeping in the hospital wing at Gabriel's side during his long recovery. For the next two months, at least, he would finally have some privacy. Even though he missed his brothers, and especially his twin, Balthazar was glad to have a room to himself. For the first time since crossing the border into Spellbound lands, the young omega silently thanked Rowena for insisting that he undertake this pilgrimage. He was going to enjoy the chance to grow into his own wolf.

A quick tap on the door caught his attention, and Balthazar took a moment to revel in the fact that someone was asking permission to enter his space. He called out a welcome, smiling as Linda slid into the room. "Balthazar, I do have a question for you, but it's kind of personal and I didn't want to ask around a bunch of alphas and betas."

"Linda, you can call me Balthy, and I know exactly what you are going to ask. My heat was a month ago and I won't have another until summer."

Linda raised one eyebrow in surprise. "That is a very unusual schedule. Did something trigger you early?"

"No, my brothers and I have always had winter heats. It's really inconvenient, being the only targets during a period of enforced inactivity."

"I can see how it would be. Male omegas tend to be earlier than females, even here. My boys will go into heat right before spring hits. Crowley says that you will still be here then."

"You want me to stay with them during their heat?"

"If you don't mind. I don't know how you do it in your lands, but they'll still both be unmated this year and will be sequestered here, in this wing. It's one of the reasons Crowley gave me so much space."

"One of the reasons?"

"He's also a little afraid of me," Linda replied, winking conspiratorially at the taller man.

"No one ever accused him of being stupid," Balthazar replied. "Of course I'll stay with them. I know how much it means to me to have my brothers nearby when I'm going through it."

Linda smiled and clapped Balthazar on the shoulder. "I'm glad you came."


	6. Trained

Chapter 6: Trained

* * *

"I've hunted my whole life. As soon as we were old enough to tie knots, Mother taught us how to set traps. We're omegas, so bringing down big game is a bit beyond our wolf forms, but we're proficient with a wide range of weapons."

Samandriel continued sharpening his impressive collection of knives, glancing up every now and then to see how Kevin was doing with Balthazar's education. The older omega furrowed his brow as he tried to knap out a good arrowhead, placing his better attempts on the rock beside him as he kicked the bad ones into a pile at his feet. "What kind of weapons do you use up in the mountains, Balthy?"

"My siblings prefer these long daggers forged from a single piece of shining metal. It isn't steel, but it's something stronger, some sort of metal that is only mined in our mountains. Akobel uses the same weapons, but he is also proficient with bow and arrow. I've also practiced with a lance and a mace, but not in some time. Mostly we learned to fight in wolf form, since we knew that we couldn't carry much with us."

"Your wolf form is larger than normal for an omega, isn't it?" Kevin shrugged when Balthazar glanced up at him. "I heard Ruby say something about it. She also said your coat is an unusual color, like snow in the morning sun, but I figured she was exaggerating that part."

"It's iridescent white," the Celestial confirmed. "My brothers and I all have unusual colored coats. And yes, my wolf form is rather large for an omega, bigger even than most of the other non-alpha Celestials I know. In general, it seems that Celestials are taller than wolves from other lands, and we have deeper chests to accommodate the greater lung capacity that allows us to breathe in the mountains. Maybe I can teach you two about fighting as wolves if you help me hone my weapon skills."

"Sounds like a plan to me." Kevin leaned forward and checked through the pile of wood for some pieces to throw into the fire before settling back on his log and the arrows he was working on. They had decided to spend the morning outside, enjoying a fire and the bitter cold of winter as they worked on their weapons. Linda was absent, having gone into the forest with Ruby and Meg to search for winter roots and hoarded nuts to enhance their meat-heavy diet. She didn't need the guards, but Crowley wouldn't hear of her heading out into the forest on her own. The boys assumed that the Head Alpha wanted to keep an eye on his best spy as much as possible.

"What are you three doing out here without guards?"

"Making weapons," Balthazar answered insouciantly, not even bothering to look up from his poor attempt to attach one of his arrowheads to the shaft Kevin had prepared the day before. Kevin and Samandriel followed his lead, ignoring the Head Alpha as Crowley found a place at the other end of Balthazar's log and settled down. The Celestial glanced up at the dark man, tilting his head curiously. "Where are your guards, Crowley?"

"I don't need them," the alpha replied. "You don't best Abaddon and Cain without learning to take care of yourself." He cleared his throat and picked up one of Balthazar's grey arrowheads, frowning before grabbing another piece of flint and expertly knapping off a neater one. "I heard that you had a run-in with a couple of Cain's pups after getting through the Celestial mountains, while in heat, nonetheless."

Balthazar snorted. "Ruby and Meg have been talking, I see."

"They tell some impressive stories, like how your coat shines in the sun. One of my guards said the same thing, and I'm a bit sad that I missed it."

The Celestial looked up from his arrow, blue eyes meeting crimson across the log. The alpha raised one eyebrow as the omega snorted and turned away, biting his lip as he tried to tie his arrowhead again.

"You're doing that all wrong."

Balthazar growled and tightened his fist around the slender wooden shaft almost hard enough to break it. "I don't need your criticism."

Kevin and Alfie exchanged a charged look at the audacity of their new omega friend growling at the Head Alpha of Spellbound. Other than their mother, they had never seen anyone talk back to him at all, and alphas really didn't like it when people growled at them.

Crowley, however, just chuckled and scooted closer. He reached out and wrapped his hand around Balthazar's fist, waiting until the omega calmed his tight grip before pulling the shaft closer and examining the slit in the top. "Here, give me your knife so we can fix this." He carved away a tiny sliver of wood and placed the knife down, cupping Balthazar's other hand with his free one and guiding the arrowhead into the enlarged slot.

"Your knapping needs a bit of work; this one is too thick on the side here, which is why it kept falling out," Crowley explained, releasing the shaft as he reached for the sinew binding and showed the omega how to wrap it correctly. "Tighter than that, Zar."

Balthazar glanced up in shock at the nickname, frowning as he repeated it in his mind. "I'm not sure I like that one."

"You'll get used to it. If I have to always look up to see your face, I'd like to have my choice of nicknames. I've got to have some power over you."

Kevin glanced at Alfie again, exchanging a look that translated into "what the hell is going on here?" as they watched the interaction in silence. They had never seen the Head Alpha so content, and all he was doing was teaching their new friend how to make an arrow. Maybe this Celestial had been sent to them for a reason.

Balthazar snorted. "Whatever makes you happy." He focused on tying off the sinew, smiling at his finished attempt as he showed it to Crowley. "What do you think?"

The alpha chuckled and placed it on the log beside Kevin, knowing that the omega would fletch it as he handed Balthazar a piece of flint. "Let's try to make a better point, shall we?" He turned and knelt in front of the omega, holding his hands and pulling one down sharply to break off a single sliver. "Now you need to shape it."

Kevin turned back to fletching arrows as the repetitive noise of flint knapping merged with the crackling of the fire and the slow slide of metal on stone as Alfie worked on his knives. Crowley offered gentle encouragement every now and then, but Balthazar's arrowheads were improving quickly and he managed to attach five to shafts without any issues.

The peaceful tableau was broken by the thunder of paws, three wolves galloping up to the small campsite with heavy bags tied to their waists. Ruby, by far the largest of the females, had been coerced into carrying the heaviest bags, Meg behind her and Linda in the rear. Even in wolf form, the indomitable beta was tiny, smaller than most omegas, colored in midnight black with tiny white spots covering her body and a heavy bag slung across her back. She slipped out of it and shifted back, frowning at the Head Alpha kneeling in front of her new charge.

"Crowley, can I help you?"

"Linda, how was your search? Productive, I trust?" The diminutive woman crossed her arms over her chest and glared at Crowley, Ruby and Meg shifting back and standing halfway between their alpha and the beta. "Well, I stumbled upon your boys here and it seems that young Zar's knapping technique needed some improvement."

Linda, Ruby, and Meg all glanced at Balthazar sharply, all of them mouthing the new nickname, but the omega just shrugged and shook his head. "He gave me some useful hints."

"I'm not sure I approve of him hanging out with the three of you," Linda commented, gesturing for her sons to clean up their weapons and put out the fire.

Balthazar shrugged, trying to decide what kind of history the beta and Head Alpha had. "He isn't so bad, when he's not being an asshole."

Linda waited until all of the bags were packed before gathering her sons to her side and taking a couple of small packs out of the pile at her feet, gesturing for them to divide the rest up. "Still, it is inappropriate for an alpha to spend unsupervised time alone with unmated omegas, especially this time of the year."

"I'm not some common alpha," Crowley replied waspishly. "You, of all people, know that I am too old for such childish nonsense."

Linda glared at the alpha for a long time, Ruby and Meg shifting uncomfortably until the older beta finally relaxed. "Very well, I accept that your intentions are pure. Well, as pure as you can be, anyway. I still don't like you."

"Fair enough. Few people do." He waved his hand toward the castle and bowed his head slightly. "Are we ready to head back?"

Linda smiled and nodded, swinging one bag over her shoulder as the other wolves divided the remaining sacks and began the short trek back to the castle. The kitchen staff were grateful for the addition to the winter diet, eagerly sorting through the supplies to being the planning process for supper. Ruby and Meg vanished into the castle, Linda and Crowley heading off to his throne room while the three omegas returned to their chambers.

Kevin retreated to his room with an ancient tome of Spellbound magic. He couldn't actual do the spells, but he did enjoy learning about them and practicing the practical and healing side of magic. Alfie and Balthazar cuddled up on the long couches in the living room of the suite, the younger omega showing his new friend how to make the leather clothes that were favored during the long, harsh Spellbound winter.

"Why does your mother dislike Crowley so much?"

Alfie dropped his gaze to his lap, focusing on stitching a particularly difficult part of the pants. "She knew him, long ago, before she was mated and before he took over the pack. Back then, Abaddon ruled with Cain by her side, and his unbearably cruel children were known to abuse unmated omegas and submissive betas in the pack. Abaddon wouldn't lift a finger to stop it, so a number of the wolves in the pack went to Rowena for help. She had long before sworn that she and the other witches under her care would never get involved in pack politics, but her son was willing to stand up to our cruel leader. He had never taken an interest in his place in the pack before that day, so it was really no surprise that the first time Crowley went up against Abaddon, he lost pretty badly."

"Really? I never heard that version of the story."

Alfie grinned. "Yeah, he only tells the version where he won. Mother was irate at Crowley when he refused to fight again. A few months later, one of her close friends was . . . she was an unmated omega and she refused Asmodeus's advances."

Balthazar felt a shock of terror grip his soul, and he knew that it showed in his eyes. "He . . . he poisoned her, didn't he?" Gabriel's bleeding form filled his mind.

"Yeah, he did. It did something horrible to her and she took her own life not long after. Mother attacked Crowley, accused him of cowardice, and ran away from the pack. Not long after that, Crowley challenged Abaddon a second time and defeated her, forcing her to help him chase Cain and his children to the northern reaches of Spellbound lands. She's been loyal to him ever since, but Mother has never really forgiven Crowley for not saving her friend. What you saw today was probably the most civil they've been in decades."

Balthazar sat with Alfie for a while longer, leaving as soon as the younger omega headed to his room for a quick afternoon nap. He wandered the castle for a while, finding himself standing in the garden outside Crowley's private study, having slipped in through a side entrance off the main garden path. He stripped out of his clothes and piled them on the bench near the building, shifting into his white wolf form and stretching his legs out in front of him. The snow was not very deep in the garden, but he found enough to roll around in, jumping from one small drift to another as he reveled in his freedom. He ached to spread his wings, but he knew that it was a secret he had to hold onto, so he contented himself with running around like a crazed pup.

Balthazar froze as the wind brought him the scent of hot peppers and smoke, a spicy and oddly entrancing smell. He looked up toward the castle to see a tall, sturdy black wolf staring down at him, red stripes on his legs and a smile in his crimson eyes. _"How long have you been watching me, Crowley?"_

" _Long enough to see the beautiful color of your coat,"_ the alpha chuckled. He took a few steps closer to the younger wolf, his fur shifting to reveal a dark gray undercoat that added a strange charcoal feeling to his fur. It matched his scent, which evoked the image of a fire burned down to coals. _"It really is as impressive as the girls claimed."_

" _You're bigger than I thought you would be,"_ Balthazar returned, dropping his chest to the ground and raising his hips in a play bow. _"All things considered."_

Crowley bark-laughed at that, leaping forward and landing on the omega who was nearly his height, bowling him over and nipping at his legs. Balthazar leapt free and spun around to attack back, wrapping his front paws around Crowley's shoulders and sinking his teeth into his neck. He kept his grip light and playful, grinning in the alpha's mind as they broke apart again. The next round of attacks gave Crowley the upper hand, though Balthazar managed a quick swipe at his belly before slipping free. They closed with each other a few more times, the bulky alpha struggling to gain an advantage over his wiry wrestling partner, eventually both of them falling to the ground in exhausted defeat.

" _Not bad,"_ Crowley panted, even his mental voice strained. _"I haven't had a good tussle like that in years. Thank you, Zar."_

Balthazar rolled back onto his belly and pushed himself into a sitting position. _"Any time you need to let off steam, just let me know."_ His blue eyes met glowing crimson, and he felt the moment that _something_ passed between them. Shaking his head, the smaller wolf shifted back into his human form, watching Crowley warily as the alpha shifted, too.

"I will," Crowley promised, leading his guest back to the top of the garden and the two piles of discarded clothes on the benches there. "Come inside and we can talk."

"Who said I want to talk to you?" The words weren't as sharp or defensive as Balthazar had planned, and he wondered at that.

"You were in the garden outside my study, Zar. You must have wanted me to see you. Tell me what's on your mind."

Balthazar followed Crowley back into his study, unable to refute the alpha's words. Crowley rang for some tea, offering his guest a plush cushion next to his, a low table beside them. The Celestial waited for the tea to be delivered before he began to speak. "I was talking to Alfie earlier and he told me a little about your history in the pack. From what he said, and from your words earlier, I get the impression that you are older than you look."

"Gotta be honest, not the first question I was expecting."

"You thought I would ask how you're unmated as the Head Alpha of Spellbound." Crowley nodded as he sipped his tea. "The question had occurred to me, but all of my older siblings are also single, so I don't think it's that unusual."

"It is when you consider that I am well over a hundred years old."

Balthazar stared at the alpha over the rim of his cup, taking a moment to examine the smaller man before speaking. "You don't look a hundred."

"You can thank my mother for that. I'm not a witch, but apparently the ability to control my aging is one of the few powers I inherited. I have others, small ones, that are less useful."

"Like what?"

"I can hear wolves in form, as long as they are projecting toward me, no matter their pack. I'm not as strong as my mother; she can hear any wolf even if they aren't projecting at her. I can also do some small magic, like giving someone the communication tattoo, but that's about it."

Balthazar hung his head. "Must be nice, to have magic. I wish Celestials had something like that. We're so boring in comparison."

Crowley reached out and grasped Balthazar's hand in his, forcing the younger man to meet his eyes. "Are you kidding? Celestials' special power is much more impressive than mere magic. My father had wings."

The omega jumped at that, dropping his tea cup on the ground. Thankfully it was empty, though neither of them noticed it roll away. "Wings?"

"Sure, wings. He was the last Celestial to sprout them, the last messenger, but there used to be a lot more. Mother said that there were once a dozen or more at a time serving the Three Lands." He looked away from the omega, running the fingers of his free hand through his short hair. "I never met my father, but I'm told that the Celestials no longer revere their special pups. I'm told that his pack tore him apart."

"Yeah, that . . . that sounds like my people." Balthazar released Crowley's hand and stepped forward to pick up his cup, placing it neatly back on the table. He didn't return to his cushion, pacing across the room instead and wringing his hands. "Is that why you hate my pack?"

"Well, yeah, pretty much. When I took over this pack, I tried to reach out to Michael and make some sort of truce, but he rebuffed me. He told me that he would never allow a winged Celestial to live because of some prophecy that my mother had given to Metatron. He said that he would never allow his pack to be destroyed by messengers."

Balthazar hung his head and whined, tears in his blue eyes. "Yeah, that's still his stance." He paused, looking up at the Spellbound alpha as he tried to decide if he could trust this man with his secret. "Crowley, I want to show you something. I want . . . I want to trust you and I don't know why."

"You can trust me, Zar. You're my guest here, and I won't let any harm come to you."

The omega slipped out of his clothes and dropped them on the floor, turning to face Crowley as he shifted into his wolf form. Eyes never leaving the Spellbound alpha, Balthazar flexed his shoulders and released his wings, opening them as wide as he could, watching as Crowley's eyes widened in shock.

"You're a _messenger_."

" _So are my brothers. Four omegas."_

"The prophecy," Crowley breathed, holding his hand above the iridescent white fur of one wing. "You are the four destined to bring down the three packs and restore the King."

" _What King? I never heard that part."_

"There used to be a King who ruled over the Three Lands, but we haven't had one since the packs split. In order for another one to rise, the current leadership has to be decimated. That's where you and your brothers come in."

" _So the prophecy isn't bad? We aren't . . . we aren't bad?"_

Crowley shook his head and ran his fingers over the soft fur on Balthazar's wing, smiling as the omega shivered at the strange sensation the touch evoked. "No, you aren't. You're just weapons forged to end this bloody war. My mother is one, too, as are those infernal Winchester pups. There's nothing wrong with being a weapon, but I can't promise you that the prophecy isn't bad. Only my mother really knows the whole thing, since she heard it directly from her prophet." He ran his fingers through the short fur again, smiling as the omega almost purred. "Your wings are beautiful, Zar."

The wolf folded his wings and shifted back, slipping into his discarded clothes. "Michael would kill us if he knew."

"Not if there's anything I can do to stop him," Crowley replied, a dark threat in his words as he pulled Balthazar back down to sit beside him on the cushions. "I'm not afraid of the prophecy, Zar, but a lot of people will be. I think it best that you keep this secret, even from your new adopted mother and brothers."

"Yeah, no kidding."

"Can you fly?"

"A bit. We didn't get a lot of chance to practice in the mountains, since we were in heat and on the run, and I haven't even pulled my wings out since. I think I could, with enough practice."

"I'm sure you could. All of the messengers of old could fly, some of them from one end of the realm to the other. I can find you somewhere safe to practice."

"I would like that," Balthazar whispered. "Why are you being so nice to me?"

"Because you stood up to me," Crowley replied simply. "I'm a hundred years old, and it's rare that someone has the balls to defy me."

"I would think your instinct would be to destroy anyone who challenged you."

"Sure, but you're an omega. It was . . . kind of a turn on, to be honest."

Balthazar chuckled, turning away to hide his blush. "You're strange, you know that?"

"Yeah, I've been told." He watched the omega for a minute longer, smiling as he finished his tea. "You should go now, Zar, before Linda gets worried." The omega rose to leave, pausing as Crowley cleared his throat. "If you have time tomorrow after your weapons lessons with the boys, come find me and I'll see what I can do about a place for you to practice flying."

"I will, Crowley. Thank you."

As soon as he was alone, the alpha rolled his right sleeve up and touched the purple tattoo just below his elbow. As soon as it flared to life, he closed his eyes and waited for the familiar touch of his mother's mind. "Thank you, Mother, for sending him here."

" _Of course,"_ she replied, her whispered words vibrating against his skin. _"He's important, Fergus, to everything. Don't mess this up."_

"I won't."

* * *

Gabriel watched his brothers fly in tight circles overhead, whining softly as he concentrated on resting his wings. Barely an hour into flight practice, he had pulled a muscle in his left wing, crashing to the ground in an undignified heap of golden fur. Sam had been frantic, checking him for injuries, but thankfully his landing had been soft. However, the cramp in his wing still hadn't faded, twinges shooting up through his shoulders every now and then.

" _How did they get so much better than me so fast?"_

Sam, seated next to him on the log that the Wilderness wolves had been using all morning, shrugged. "It probably has to do with overextending yourself flying over the lake."

Gabriel snorted in agreement, freezing in shock as he realized that Sam had _heard_ him. Dean and Benny had leaned forward, staring at the younger Winchester in shock, having only heard his part of the conversation. "Sam?"

"What?" The burnet glanced at the golden wolf sitting by his side, his mouth slowly opening in shock. "Ancestors, I heard you. How did I hear you?"

" _I guess this bond runs deeper than we thought."_

"Probably because you spent every waking moment with the boy since we met him," Benny answered at the same time, oblivious to Gabriel's words. "His mind must have bonded with yours even when he couldn't speak."

Dean chuckled and turned his gaze back to the sky, eyes tracking the black wolf who had started the dive-bombing exercises that he had suggested that morning. "Figures you'd be first."

"It's not a race, Dean," Sam growled, "you know that. New pack mates are always assimilated at different rates. You could hear Jo long before Benny or I could."

"And it took months for me to hear Sam," Benny added. "Not that your unusually close brother bond helped in that respect."

" _Sam, now that you can hear me, my wing still hurts. I'm getting shooting pains. Can you try to work out the cramp?"_

"Sure, Gabe." Sam turned his attention back to the golden wolf, running his hand over the upper arm of Gabriel's left wing, gently massaging the muscles there. Slowly, the wolf relaxed, letting his partner repeat the action on the other wing before he folded them tight against his back. "Is that better?"

" _Yeah, but I think you're right. This is my body's punishment for flying across that lake when I was not ready. Give me a bit and I should be able to lift off again."_

"Okay, but stay closer to the ground this time. You're going to give me a heart attack."

Gabriel leaned over and nuzzled Sam's neck, purring gently before trotting back into the center of the clearing where his brothers had stretched out for a rest break.

" _Gabe! Is your wing feeling better?"_

" _Yes, with some help from my personal physician over there."_ The gold wolf nodded toward Sam, knowing that the tall brunet could hear every word he said. _"Apparently I have that pack bond communication thing with him now."_

" _That's great! I figured you would be first, considering how close you and Sam got over the past few weeks."_ Cas stood up and stretched his wings, glancing at his oldest brother. _"You should try some of the liftoff exercises that Gad put together. It should help you build up your strength. We're also planning an aerial attack pattern, one with three of us and one with four. Dean showed me one that mimics an attack that he and his pack use."_

" _So we would attack from the air while they attack from the ground?"_

" _Yeah, something like that. I told Dean that we wouldn't ever use it, since we can't really show our wings, but he said that it would be a great idea."_

" _It's not a terrible idea,"_ Gabriel replied, his golden eyes clouding over as the faint tremor of a premonition passed through his frame. _"How different is the four-part one from the three-part? How hard will it be for Balthy to learn it?"_

Cas looked away, his wings drooping sadly. _"Not hard,"_ he whispered. _"I miss him."_

Gadreel leaned up against his brother's side, purring comfortingly. _"We all do, Cas. I know this is harder for you, since you two have never been separated, but Tasha said he's okay. Maybe you can ask her to reach out to him when we get back."_

" _Yeah, I'll ask her."_ He pulled his wings back to his back, sending a gentle smile to his brothers before jumping into flight. Gadreel followed a moment later, Gabriel flapping his golden wings experimentally before joining his brothers. They showed him the pattern they had been working on, returning to their dive bomb practice as he worked on takeoffs and running into flight.

They practiced for a few more hours, returning to their partners by the fire when they could no longer ignore their hunger. Dean, Sam, and Benny handed out bowls of the soup they had been cooking for the past half-hour, amused that the Celestials didn't bother to dress before digging in. "You guys are making this stuff look tastier than it is."

"Exercise is good for the appetite, Dean," Cas replied around a mouthful of some unidentified meat chunks. Dean was pretty sure it was porcupine, but Bucky had been pretty vague when he handed them the cans that morning.

Sam actually enjoyed the soup. In the main city, they didn't can soup for the winter. That was a specialty of Asa's pack, a skill that they had learned from Garth and his family when they took them in. Most winters, Sam had to get used to frozen fish and dried meat, but the stuff in the soup was much more succulent. "Dude, they hunt some weird game out here."

"Yeah, Sammy, I was just thinking that. I'm pretty sure this is porcupine, but I've never been able to kill one in form."

"Most of the guys here shift to hunt. I know that Asa and Alicia are pretty good with weapons."

Dean shrugged. "We'll just hunt whatever we can, hopefully larger prey."

Cas leaned his head against Dean's shoulder, his empty bowl on the ground. "That sounds great. I could really go for some fresh venison."

Sam groaned and dropped his head into his hands as Dean puffed his chest out. "Thanks a lot, Cas. He is not going to hunt anything but deer all winter now. Even you'll be sick of it come spring."

"Good," Cas purred, nuzzling Dean under the chin. "We don't have nearly as many deer where I'm from, but I really like it."

Benny sighed and glanced down at Gadreel, who had taken a seat on the ground between his legs, happily finishing his meal. "Any special requests from you, Gad?"

"Nope, I like pretty much everything."

Gabriel leaned forward excitedly, having already finished two helpings of soup. Somehow, the smallest of the three Celestials could pack away the most food, and Sam had learned to prepare an extra helping for the blonde. He glanced up at Sam, a request in his eyes, but the tall alpha just placed a finger over his lips and shook his head. "No. You don't get requests."

"But Samoose—"

"No! I don't trust you to keep it reasonable."

Gabriel pouted until Sam relented and tucked the blonde against his side, kissing his forehead. Cas and Gad exchanged an amused glance before reaching out to clean up the meal, but Dean kept staring at his brother with wide, excited green eyes. "Samoose?"

"Damn," Sam whispered, resting his chin on the top of Gabriel's head. "I told you not to say it in front of him. Now I'll never hear the end of it."

"Sorry, Samshine. I won't use that one anymore."

"Wait, you're okay with his weird nickname fetish now?"

Sam shrugged. "It makes him happy."

"God you guys are too sweet." Dean buried the fire and returned all of the supplies to the pack, fishing out a set of clothes for each omega and gesturing for them to dress. "I remember the Samshine one from before, but where did Samoose come from?"

"Rowena called him that when he chased after me in the forest. I kinda like it."

"Speaking of Rowena," Benny interrupted, not willing to follow that conversation any further, "should I call Jo and see if they are ready to head back?"

"Yeah, go ahead and do that." Benny slipped out of his clothes and shifted forms, raising his nose to the sky and howling into the forest. He didn't have the deepest voice of the three, but it carried further than Dean's or Sam's, so he was usually chosen for long-distance communication. He tilted his head to the side, black ears perked forward as he tracked the response, nodding north before shifting back. "They'll meet us at the edge of the trees just north of here in twenty minutes."

"Alright, let's get going."

The six men headed out of the forest, all of them electing to stay in their human forms. The snow wasn't that deep in the forest, though they knew they would have more to fight through on the open plain. They walked in pairs, Dean and Cas in the front with Benny and Gadreel taking the rear guard position, with enough space between them that each couple could talk privately. Dean pulled Cas against his side, taking his hand and twining their fingers as the raven-haired man smiled. "You don't really have to hunt deer all winter for me, Dean."

"Yeah, I know, but I'm pretty good at it. Part of the courtship thing is showing that I can provide for you, and you like venison."

"You're sweet." Cas was silent for a few minutes, but Dean could see that something was on his mind. He stayed quiet, knowing that the omega would speak when he was ready. "Dean, you're not upset that Sam and Gabe got their bond first, are you?"

"No, of course not. After everything your brother went through, and after everything mine did to keep him sane, they deserve it."

"But you want to be second."

Dean chuckled. "It wouldn't suck. I could hear Jo about a week before Sam or Benny. I always wanted to have a big pack, so you four joining up is pretty awesome."

"I've never had a pack before," Cas mused softly. "My brothers and I only ever had each other. Omegas are encouraged to learn to take care of the home and pups, so running wild through the mountains wasn't proper."

"Well, Wilderness omegas are encouraged to find a pack to run with for a few years before they mate and settle down. Sometimes they enjoy the pack so much that they run forever. One of the splinter packs from the southwest has three omegas, and they've told my dad that they'll never live in the city. Even if they mate, they'll just raise their pups in the wild. I kinda wanted to run with their band when I was younger, but they don't let males join. The pack has existed for three generations, and even males that mate into the pack have to live in the city or one of their larger hunting camps."

"We have a legend of a pack like that, a huge one that existed five or six hundred years ago. They were called the Valkyries, and they served our Head Alpha but didn't really obey him. Now that I know more about my people's history, it's highly likely that most or all of them were messengers and they served the king."

Dean nodded approvingly at that. "You need to tell Jody about that. She'd like the idea of the Valkyries, might even consider renaming her pack."

"Did Jo ever run with them?"

"No. Jody offered her a place, but she's a beta, and Jo really wanted to follow a strong alpha. There aren't many female alphas in my pack—Jo is the only one among the nobles—and she has some identity issues trying to find her place. She's gotten a lot better over the years."

"I guess female alphas are more common in Celestial packs. There are two noble alpha females in Akobel's pack, and two in the main pack. Although, one of them is Aunt Amara and no one has seen her in decades, maybe centuries if Rowena's recount is accurate. My sister, Anna, has had her share of dominance fights with my older brothers and the male alphas of the smaller packs, especially since Father left."

They reached the edge of the forest, Benny calling out to Jo as soon as he spotted her. She was waiting a little north of their position, the two redheaded witches at her side. Asa had a simple rule about omegas in his pack: they always had to be protected when they were outside of the city. Even though Rowena had enough power in her smallest finger to flatten an army of alphas, Asa had insisted that an alpha or beta accompany her on her gathering mission. Charlie had been quick to volunteer Jo, and the blonde eagerly agreed.

Cas pulled Dean back as their brothers greeted the three women, something swirling deep in his cobalt eyes. "Dean, is that how you want to raise your pups? In the wild?"

The alpha smiled sadly. "Cas, I don't get that choice. Even if I wanted it, even if my mate wanted it, I'm the heir of Wilderness pack. I'll be living in the city."

"Did you like growing up in the city?"

"Not really. My parents were gone most of the time, and the only thing I ever wanted was to be able to run with them."

Cas smiled and raised Dean's hand to his lips, kissing the back of it. "The only thing I have ever wanted in my life is _freedom_. I would want to give that to my pups, let them grow up wild, not locked away in the omega wing of some palace or left with nursemaids and servants. I know it's more dangerous, but I want them to be more comfortable as wolves than humans."

"Maybe we can find a way to make that happen," Dean whispered, leaning forward to kiss the omega's forehead. He took a moment to marvel again that this raven-haired man was his height, was as strong as him in human form, and could stand beside him as an equal. It was all he had ever wanted in a mate, even though he had never dared to tell his father that. That thought, and the knowledge that Cas loved the wild as much as he did, sent tingling shocks through his body. He could almost feel something inside him change, some blossoming of emotion and a sudden deep yearning he had never expected to feel. Staring into slightly-confused azure eyes, Dean knew that he wanted to wake up to them for the rest of his life.

"Cas," he breathed, almost not believing his own words, "I think I'm in love with you."

"Good," Cas replied, stepping closer to the alpha. "I would hate for this to be one-sided."

Dean let out a sound halfway between a laugh and a sob, crashing his lips into Cas's to stop the flow of emotions swirling through his body. He had wanted to be gentle, to show the omega how much he cared, but clearly Cas wasn't interested in soft or slow, either. He wrapped his arms around Dean's neck, pulling him as close as possible and tilting his head in an effort to deepen the kiss. Dean dropped one hand to Cas's lower back, pulling the raven-haired man against his chest and groaning at the contact. He pressed their bodies together, chasing that electric feeling, slipping his hand under Cas's shirt and slowly moving lower.

Dean jerked back as a hand slammed into the side of his head, breaking him out of the lust-induced haze that had taken over his mind. He spun around, his eyes flashing as he growled at whoever had dared to interrupt them, freezing as his brother growled back. "Dean! What the hell do you think you're doing?" Dean glanced over his shoulder at Cas, slowly relaxing as he realized that his brother was right. "Look, kissing is fine, but you can't go further than that. You know that, Dean."

The older Winchester hung his head and nodded, reaching back to twine his fingers with Cas's. "Yeah, sorry, I got carried away."

"Oh, Moose, don't stop them. They're adorable." Rowena, a full bag slung across her back, smiled at the pair, her eyes sparkling mischievously. Jo shook her head and placed her hand on Charlie's lower back, urging the omega forward.

Sam rolled his eyes and gathered the group together, glancing across the plain toward the castle. The trail they had made through the snow as wolves was still visible and packed down, probably passable even in human form. The alpha looked back at his brother, who nodded once in agreement, and the group moved forward together.

Dean let Sam take the lead, an oddity but not unheard of. He took the rear guard position with Cas, Benny and Gadreel in front of them with the three women in the center of the group. Cas leaned his head on Dean's shoulder while they walked, knowing that the chance to talk was one reason the alpha had agreed to stay in human form.

"What did Sam mean?"

Dean sighed and glanced down at their joined hands. "What do you know about what happens when two wolves mate?"

"I know that a bond is formed, there's biting involved, and that it's permanent."

Dean nodded. "You're mostly right, but the bond isn't formed when the two mate. It's formed during courtship, and it has to be well-established before the mating ceremony or it won't be as strong or as natural as it would otherwise be. The bond is most important with alpha/omega pairs because our natural instincts are stronger than betas'. Having sex with each other before the mating ceremony can . . . complicate things. Sam doesn't want us to have any problems."

"Dean, you've had sex before. I've had sex before. We already talked about this."

Dean nodded. "Yeah, I know, but not with anyone we intended to mate. There was no bond, just a casual hookup. Mine were all betas and one really weird night with a rogue alpha male from the northern Wilderness lands. I've never been with an omega, certainly not one I have feelings for, and I'm guessing you've never been with an alpha."

"No, just a handful of betas and an omega female. Michael didn't mind if we learned what to do to pleasure our future mates as long as we didn't get ourselves claimed or create any kind of jealousy issues with other alphas."

"Well, if I mounted you before our mating ceremony, it would create an incomplete bond, and we could suffer some pretty terrible psychological damage until we completed it."

Cas leaned closer to Dean's ear, whispering softly enough that no one else could hear. He was sure that their pack mates wouldn't intentionally eavesdrop, but they could certainly catch a word or two without trying. "How far can we go, safely?"

Dean blushed, his heart beating faster in his chest. "Uh, I don't know. As long as I don't knot you, we should be safe."

Cas chuckled and nuzzled Dean's chin. "I can work with that."

* * *

Tasha stared at Dean for a long moment, purple eyes flicking to the two huge red deer on the kitchen floor before returning to the alpha's face. "It's the middle of winter."

"Yeah."

"Where the hell did you find deer in the winter?"

Sam snorted from his position leaning against the wall. The kitchen staff were hovering nearby, eager to take care of the huge carcasses Dean had brought, but they wouldn't move until Tasha finished her conversation with the hunter. "His boyfriend has a taste for venison."

Dean shrugged and smiled, that boyish expression calming the witch. "You went out and hunted down two big deer in the dead of winter because your boyfriend has a taste for venison? How did you even find them?"

"That was all Jo. She's the best tracker I have ever met. She said that red deer come into the forests during the winter and she knew the kind of places they would bed down. Benny and Gadreel helped kill them and carry them back."

"Dean? Did you do this for me?" Dean looked over at the doorway, Cas standing just inside the cavernous room near the fireplaces, the six-foot-tall man somehow looking small and lost. Garth had given him a long, beautiful open-front robe that reached just below his knees, the material light enough that the cold-accustomed wolf wouldn't overheat indoors, and he had been wearing it constantly. It was a dark cream color with braided, beaded fringes on the bottom and open front, the entire thing covered in intricate, colorful Wilderness designs sewn in tiny beads and carefully dyed porcupine quills. The long sleeves flared out at his elbows, and he had developed a habit of hiding his hands in them when he was nervous. Just like he was doing now.

"Yeah," Dean whispered, holding out one hand. Cas scurried over to his side, tucking himself under the alpha's arm and resting his cheek against his chest. "Cas, what's wrong?" He leaned closer and sniffed the omega, the slight tang of salt overriding the scent he loved so much. "Cas, sweetheart, have you been crying?"

"Y-yeah. I miss Balthy. It just came over me earlier today."

Tasha looked at the pair and back down at the two deer, sighing as she realized what Dean had been trying to do. She cleared her throat, pulling up her left sleeve to show Cas her purple communication tattoo. "I've never tried it before, but I might be able to let you speak with your twin through me. Do you want to try?" Cas nodded eagerly, watching as Tasha took his hand and placed it on the sun-encircled pentagram. His eyes glowed with just a trace of the purple light that shone from Tasha's, the witch grunting as she struggled to bridge the connection.

" _Tasha? What's up?"_

"Balthy!" Cas straightened instantly, somehow keeping his voice constrained to a whisper despite his excitement. "Balthy, I miss you."

" _I miss you, too, Cas. Is Dean treating you well?"_

Cas blushed, ducking his head. "Yeah, of course."

" _Oooh, I heard that. Cas, you dirty little pup."_

"Hey! We haven't . . . Balthy. It's not like that."

" _But you want it to be."_ Balthazar's voice was quiet for a moment, but Cas could almost hear his thoughts, buzzing under the surface of his fingers. His twin was never shy when it came to conversations about sex, and he instantly knew that what was on Cas's mind. _"You've always been an open book to me, little Cassie. I can sense your desire for him, even this many hundreds of miles away."_

"I, uh, asked him to court me."

" _Good! That's wonderful. I'm guessing Gabe and Gad were similarly straightforward about their attractions to Dean's pack mates?"_

Cas nodded, verbalizing his answer when he realized that his brother couldn't see him. "Yeah, they were. But we can't go any further until Dean's father formally accepts us into his pack." He could feel Dean's hand on the small of his back, offering comfort and support if he needed it. Tasha was able to keep her consciousness out of the call, her eyes closed as she struggled to maintain the connection without being part of it.

" _Do you want to go further?"_ Cas could almost feel Balthazar kiss his forehead like he used to do when they were pups and Michael or Raphael had been particularly abusive. His heart ached to have his twin by his side again, but this was the closest they'd been able to get for a month.

"Yeah." He remembered back to his conversation with Dean a couple of weeks earlier, trying to push it across the link so Balthazar could see it without him having to repeat himself. He felt a flash of shock flow up his arm, quickly followed by amusement.

" _You're more of a deviant than I thought. That's a dangerous line to dance along, Cas."_

"I know. We haven't . . . but I want to."

" _That I can see. It's been weeks since you had that conversation, and you haven't done anything else? Just kissing and some heavy petting?"_

"Yeah. I just . . . I want to know . . ."

" _You want to know if it's okay to go further? What did Dean say?"_

"He's not sure."

Balthazar was quiet for a long time, only the soft buzzing in his mind telling Cas that his brother was still there. _"I know some people I can ask. Let me see what I can find out, and I'll reach back out to you."_ Cas felt the ghost of a hand against his cheek, and he smiled as he leaned into the phantom caress. _"Is that what's been bothering you, baby brother?"_

"We're the same age, Balthy. I wish you wouldn't call me that." Dean looked over at his brother and smiled, sensing that Cas was already in a much brighter mood. "Yeah, that's what was bothering me."

" _Alright, I'll see if my new friends over here have anything to add to what Dean told you. I'll call Tasha back in a few days if I find anything."_

"Great. Thanks, Balthy." Cas pulled his hand away from Tasha's arm, catching the other omega when she stumbled. "Tasha?"

"I'm fine, Cas. It's just harder to bring someone into the link than I thought."

"Is there any way that I could do it on my own?"

"No, unfortunately. The link has to have a witch or a half-witch at one end. Rowena and I have researched a communication link that mundanes can use, but we haven't had much luck." Tasha took a step back, testing her balance before waving toward the gathered kitchen staff. "Looks like we're having venison tonight."

Cas looked up at Dean brightly, that hunched, nervous posture replaced by his usual confidence. "I can't believe you found deer this time of year. Can I, uh, have a piece before they cook it?"

Dean chuckled, happy to see Cas smiling again. "Of course. But take off your robe; I wouldn't want it to get bloody."

Cas frowned as he slipped his arms free of his new favorite piece of clothing. "It's a coat."

Sam rolled his eyes and left with Tasha, glad that his brother's boyfriend was smiling again.

* * *

Balthazar stopped outside of Crowley's office, smiling politely at the tall, dark-haired alpha guarding the room. He didn't know the man's name, only that he made the omega nervous whenever they were alone together. Balthazar knocked on the door once and waited a beat before entering, knowing that the alpha wouldn't want him to wait unless he had a guest.

"Zar, to what do I owe the pleasure?" Crowley looked up from his desk and the mountain of paperwork he was working through, dark circles under his eyes.

"Crowley, you look like hell." Balthazar settled down on the cushion beside Crowley, glad that the alpha preferred low, comfortable seating. "When was the last time you took a break?"

The dark-haired man signed and ran a hand over his face. "Yeah, I don't know. A week, maybe more. Mother used to handle a lot of the paperwork, and she usually isn't gone for more than a week or two at the time. I guess I let it get out of hand." He turned away from the papers and smiled, clapping a hand on Balthazar's back. Crowley had been finding excuses to touch the omega a lot recently, not that Balthazar minded. "So, what brings you to my study?"

"I had a conversation with my brother earlier, and he wants some more information about the specifics of alpha/omega bonding."

Crowley raised an eyebrow. "Didn't your parents teach you? My mother had a series of long, incredibly uncomfortable conversations with me when I was a pup."

Balthazar shook his head and looked away. "My parents left before my brothers and I went into heat for the first time. Michael gave us a very brief education, but most of it was to keep us in line so we could mate alphas of his choosing."

"So you need an expert? I would say that my mother is your best bet."

"Alright, I'll tell Cas to speak with her." The omega looked away, fiddling with one of the glass paperweights on Crowley's desk as the alpha watched him patiently. "Some of the things that Cas asked were pretty specific. I can't help but wonder the answer myself."

"I'm not an authority on the subject, not like my mother. It's been almost a hundred years since my first rut, and I may have forgotten a few things."

"But, the bond thing. Do you remember about that?"

"Uh, yeah. A bond has to be forged before the mating takes place, usually during a courtship period of at least one month. Longer is better, especially with alpha/omega pairs due to the _need_ our physiologies have to mate. If the connection is forged correctly, the mating itself is not painful, but even shorter courtships can produce perfectly healthy mating bonds."

"So, what, specifically, forms good bonds? Michael just told us to spend time with our alphas and we would have a decent bond."

Crowley nodded. "Yeah, it works something like that. Mother said that spending time together is important, as is physical contact and providing for each other in whatever way our instincts demand. Who is courting your brother?"

"Dean."

"Dean Winchester? With a Celestial omega? Oh, John's going to love that."

Balthazar straightened at the alpha's words, a tingle of concern shooting down his spine. "What do you mean? Would John refuse the mating?"

Crowley shook his head. "No, that would be uncharacteristically stupid of him. I'm just saying that he won't be thrilled to have his heir shacking up with a Celestial. He hates them more than he hates me, as far as I know, but I've never heard of an alpha refusing a legitimate courtship. John accepted Tasha's request to Ava, and she's a witch. That's quite a bit more of a threat than a young Celestial omega."

Balthazar relaxed, nodding in agreement. "True."

"What? I can tell by the look on your face that you have another question."

"Well, Cas wanted to know how far they could go. You know, before accidentally creating a partial bond that would be psychologically devastating."

Crowley cleared his throat and looked away. "I definitely never asked that question. I mean, I'm not celibate by any means, but I tend to shy away from omegas and I've never courted anyone before. I've never tested that line."

"But, have you wondered where it is?"

Crowley's crimson eyes rose to meet Balthazar's blue, the alpha reaching out to rest his hand on the omega's wrist. "Not until you came here, no."

They stared at each other for a long moment, Balthazar slowly turning his hand over so he could twine fingers with the alpha. "This is crazy."

"What can I say, string bean? You've grown on me."

Balthazar chuckled and shook his head. "Let's stick to Zar, okay? I can only handle one of your nicknames at a time."

"Duly noted."

"So, Crowley, what's your line?"

The alpha shook his head, squeezing Balthazar's hand gently. "This is my line. I'm not willing to risk your sanity when I'm not allowed to ask if you'll let me court you."

"Not allowed?"

"You don't have an alpha, Zar, not officially. And, as the Head Alpha of Spellbound pack, there are rules that I have to follow. If John accepts you and your brothers into his pack, I would have to send a formal request to him and ask if you would be willing to allow a courtship. In his pack, the omega has to ask without any hint of coercion, and if you become a member of his pack we would have to play by his rules. It's all very bureaucratic."

"It sounds boring," Balthazar purred. "Does this mean I can't spend time with you anymore?"

"Is that what you want?" The blonde omega shook his head. "Then, no, you don't have to stop coming to see me. We just need to make sure we don't go any further than this."

"Okay, I can handle that." Balthazar waved his hand at the pile of unfinished paperwork on Crowley's desk. "While I'm here, maybe I can help you with this mess you seem to have gotten yourself into."

"That would be great," the alpha agreed, reaching for the first packet of papers.

"Crowley, why didn't you say anything before now?"

"Honestly? I'm a bit afraid of your temporary adopted mother."

Balthazar laughed at that, running his fingers through his hair. "You're afraid of Linda?"

"If she thought I had designs on one of her pups, she'd tear me to shreds."

"You're not wrong. Don't worry, I won't tell her anything." Balthazar took the papers from Crowley, leafing through the top few sheets. "Let me see what I can do to help you clear out this mess, okay?"


	7. Chosen

Chapter 7: Chosen

* * *

"So, Fergus tells me that you boys never had a decent sex education."

Dean froze with his tea halfway to his mouth, wide green eyes meeting Rowena's tranquil purple across the table. His entire expanded pack was gathered in Tasha's study at Rowena's behest, the witch sitting at the head of the long table on elegant cushions with the other wolves paired up along both sides. Her apprentice had gathered all of them as soon as Tasha left with Max to practice some spells immediately after breakfast, though Charlie hadn't mentioned the reason for the impromptu meeting.

"Yes, that is correct," Cas replied, unperturbed as he carefully placed his own cup down and leaned into Dean's side. "I'm guessing Balthazar spoke with your son?"

"Indeed. I have taught many a young pup about the 'birds and the bees', as they call it now, and I would be happy to assist you with your education. Since Tasha is working with Max today, I guessed that you would not be practicing flying this morning and would be available."

"Uh, yeah, we are."

"Perfect! Alright, I'll go over the basics, most of which I'm sure you know, and then you will be free to ask me all of your questions. I do want to ensure that we have a solid foundation for this discussion, so please politely refrain from speaking until I open the floor." The wolves nodded, Charlie reaching across the table and passing Jo one of the sweet pastries the servants had brought with the tea. The blonde blushed but took it gratefully, turning to face Rowena as the witch began to speak.

"As you know, all wolves are born as either alpha, beta, or omega. In general, most alphas are male and most omegas are female, but mating is not terribly different no matter the gender. Alphas and omegas have incredibly strong mating instincts when in season, and even betas have been known to respond fervently to an omega's heat or an alpha's rut. Because of this, all of you were encouraged to have as many safe, casual sexual encounters as you wished, in order to gain some control over your instincts. From what I've heard and overheard, none of you have been celibate." The seven wolves nodded, and Rowena smiled. "Good. Then you know that mating is not about having sex. That's actually just the last and smallest part of the entire experience. Mating is about creating an intense, deeply satisfying bond with a person that you love. As such, the entire bond is formed between your more human selves during the courtship phase of the relationship, and the wolf is not involved until the very last day."

Dean glanced over at his brother, raising one eyebrow and seeing his confusion mirrored in Sam's hazel eyes. This was not what they had been taught.

"I can see that I have already deviated from your previous education. This is the reason that the casual partners you had in the past did not create any problems for you. The bond forms because you both will it, but the mating happens because the wolf must be satisfied. It is possible for an unmated person to create a bond with a mated one, but the wolves would never allow you to be together. This is why the laws protecting omegas were created six hundred years ago, because it was too easy for alphas to force an unwanted mating that would prevent the omega from ever having a loving bond with someone else. Chuck had to execute forty or fifty alphas before the rest of them figured out that he meant business. I only ever met one of the omegas back then who was stuck in a forced mating, and he begged me to take his life."

Dean and Sam pulled their omegas closer, silently promising to never let something like that happen to the Celestials. Benny and Gadreel exchanged a glance, some silent communication passing between them, Rowena waiting patiently for everyone to turn back to her before she continued her education.

"I can see that all of you understand the importance of this. Controlling your wolf is the only way to create a healthy bond. Once you have started the courtship, there are things you cannot do together until you are ready for the mating itself. Also—and everyone seems to understand this without being told—alphas and omegas can't be together when one of them is in season. In Spellbound pack, we sequester our omegas in their own wings of the palace, and the alphas like to go off into the woods alone. Alphas won't tolerate each other when they are in rut."

Rowena reached out for her tea as she finished, gesturing to Charlie to take up the lesson. The younger witch leaned forward eagerly, nodding toward Benny. "I know you're not an alpha, but there are some things betas still have to worry about. Since you're with an omega, I'll just stick to that dynamic. When Gad goes into heat, you'll go into something we call a pseudo-rut. A bonded beta instinctively wants to please his omega, just like an alpha would, and the only thing an omega wants while in heat is to be bred. If you aren't trying for pups, the best plan would be to stay far away from him during that time of the year."

Rowena placed her empty cup back on the table, opening her arms wide as she smiled at the gathered wolves. "Alright, Fergus said that you had some questions. Let me hear them."

"How far can we go?" Cas spoke quickly, his blunt words catching Dean off-guard. The alpha had planned to be a little more circumspect, but clearly that wasn't going to happen.

Rowena stared at the Celestial for a moment, her gaze flicking to Dean as her eyes glowed. Charlie glanced up at her mentor with concern, a question in her eyes, but the other witch spoke a moment later. "There are some intimate activities that will not trigger a partial mating bond. Touching is fine, kissing, and almost anything that involves your mouth or tongue."

Dean cleared his throat, struggling to contain his discomfort. He didn't like discussing sex, but he knew that Cas really wanted these answers. "Uh, almost anything?"

"No biting," Rowena clarified. "No love nips or hickeys or biting lips. If you do anything that has the potential to break the skin and release blood, you won't have a hope in hell of containing your wolf. He would think it's a mating bite and respond accordingly." She smiled at the alpha, soothing the sting of her words. "The ironic thing is, if you two had jumped each other when you first met, you could have had all the sex you wanted in every position that _I_ could think of, and you would never have risked a mating. Now, however, your bond is too strong. You could mate today if not for your pack's rule about getting the Head Alpha's permission to bring in a mate from another pack."

Dean groaned and shook his head, looking up and grinning at his boyfriend. "I wanted to jump you right there, Cas, when you first shifted. Now I kinda wish I had."

Castiel smiled and dropped his gaze to their entwined fingers. "I wish you would have. I found you very attractive."

"Gods, you should have heard what he was thinking when you walked into camp that first night," Gabriel groaned, leaning back against Sam's chest. "I'm pretty sure one of those fantasies would be illegal back home."

"Gabe! Shush!"

Gadreel chuckled and leaned forward to support his twin. "I was pretty impressed. I didn't know my baby brother had such a dirty mind."

Cas glared at Gadreel, freezing as Gabriel took up the story again. "I especially like the one where he mounted you and—" Whatever else he was going to say was muffled by Cas's hand over his mouth, the younger omega glaring down at his brother with a very alpha commanding glare, one eyebrow raised. Dean was surprised at how fast his boyfriend had moved, and he was curious how that sentence was going to end.

"Uh, Cas, you do realize that _I'm_ the alpha, right? I mount you, not the other way around."

"Not until your mating night, you don't," Rowena interjected. "Dean, no mounting and certainly no knotting. That is the one thing that will bring on an incomplete mating."

Dean nodded. "That's the only thing? I can't bite him and I can't mount him, but everything else is pretty much fair game?"

"Yes. I'm sure you can wait a few more weeks for your father's approval, then all of you had better get mated as soon as possible. I've never seen so many strong bonds in one room before, and I'm sure no one wants to have to deal with this level of sexual frustration for a moment longer than they have to."

"You are not wrong," Dean replied, reaching out to take Cas's hand and pull him out of the room. "Guys, we have weapons practice in two hours, so I'll see all of you by the lake."

As soon as their brothers were gone, Sam turned to Gabriel and kissed him. "I love it when you make Dean uncomfortable. If you want to do that forever, I'm game."

"Deal," Gabriel purred, wrapping his arms around Sam's neck as the alpha slipped his arm under the omega's legs and stood up. Even though he was perfectly capable of walking, Gabe loved it when the much taller man carried him around in his arms or let him ride on his back. Gadreel rolled his eyes at his twin's antics before getting to his feet, reaching down to help Benny up.

"Rowena, before we leave, I do have another question. I wanted to wait until Dean and Sam left before broaching the subject."

"What is it, Benny?"

"Charlie talked about how I might respond when Gad goes into heat, but I wanted to know what are my chances of getting Gad pregnant? You know, if we did want pups."

Rowena stared at the beta for a moment, turning to her apprentice in shock as the green-eyes witch answered the question. "Twins."

"What?"

Charlie shook her head, trying to clear up the strange buzzing in her mind. "I don't know. It just came into my head. When I look at the two of you, I see twins, a boy and a girl."

Benny felt his breath catch at the words, Gadreel's hand slowly falling to rest on his belly just above his hips. "Twins? You see twins in our future?"

"She sees a possible future," Rowena interjected, reaching out to rest a hand on her protégé's shoulder. "But, yes, you should be perfectly capable of having children together. You may have a few more unsuccessful heats than an alpha/omega pair would, but clearly Charlie sees pups in your future. You don't have anything to worry about."

Benny thanked the witches and pulled Gadreel out of the room, Jo squeezing Charlie's hand before following the two men. Rowena turned to Charlie as soon as they were alone, staring deep into her apprentice's green eyes.

"It looks like you had a premonition. I can see the flecks in your eyes that I get when I touch that connection with my prophet."

"What does it mean? I didn't do anything, but when I looked at Benny and Gadreel I saw those two pups. Is that normal?"

Rowena sighed and leaned back against the wall, glancing at her empty cup and wishing for something stronger. "You know, I had felt some weakening of my bond with my prophet. I thought that it was because of how long she had been gone; after all, no speaker had lived for so long after the death of the prophet. But now I can see that I am losing my link for a completely different an unexpected reason."

Charlie sucked in her breath as she realized the only possible explanation. "Another prophet is rising. And you . . . you can't bond again. It's a one-time deal. So another witch has to be the speaker for the new prophet."

"And it looks like you have been chosen."

Charlie shot to her feet, pacing across the silent room three time before reaching for her tea and downing it in one gulp. She circled the room again, reaching the window and staring out across the snow-choked landscape, letting that silent whiteness calm her mind. "Why would the new prophet pick me?"

"Because you are right for the job. I know why my prophet chose me; because I was going to live to see this day, to see her prophecy about the omegas come to pass. Now you will have to carry us into the new kingdom."

"But I'm not a naturally-born witch! I don't have your innate powers and I can barely do any spells on my own. How can I be a speaker?"

"I have no idea. There is an entire coven back home of older, more experienced, and generally more powerful witches who could be speaker, but none of us have any control over who is chosen. When you see the prophet, when you touch him or her for the first time, you will have your answers in that bond. And, when that happens, I will lose the last of the connection I have to mine."

Charlie turned around to face her mentor, hands clenched together in front of her chest. "You never saw this?"

"No. A speaker can never see her own future or the fate of her prophet. I also cannot see the face of your new prophet, nor can I tell you if you have met before. All I can tell you is that the child must have Celestial blood. We haven't had a prophet since before the packs split, but the prophets were all messengers, and the speakers were all witches. There was also a third member of the group, a legacy who would guard the pair against any who would do them harm. I'm not sure if that is possible now, since Wilderness alphas are not allowed on Spellbound lands, but I'm sure you will find your own balance."

"So we won't be staying in the city when we return home. We'll have to go find this prophet."

Rowena nodded. "Most certainly. I haven't been to Celestial lands in five hundred years; it should be quite the adventure."

Charlie grinned and nodded, ready for anything. Her face fell as she remembered something from the meeting, some wording that Rowena used that had bothered her at the time. Now that they were alone, she could bring it up. "Rowena, you lied to them."

"I didn't."

"You told Dean that he couldn't mount Cas, but you heard what Gabe said—"

"I didn't _lie_ ," Rowena repeated, cutting the younger omega off. "I did leave out a few things, yes, but I had to. I saw so many paths in front of me when Cas asked how far they could go, so many possible futures, so I had to point them toward the best possible ones. If I had told them anything else, then we would be looking at Path Number Two from the prophecy."

Charlie shuddered as she caught the barest glimpse of the prophecy, clouded and dark but _almost_ right in front of her. "You know they're going to . . ."

"I do."

"And don't the consequences from that sound _exactly_ like Number Two?"

"Similar, but with a happier ending. Like I said when I explained the prophecy to these pups, paths number two and three are nearly identical much of the time. I saw the options, and I had to choose in that moment where to point those boys. When you bond with your prophet, if you see a better way, please take it. Your visions will be clearer than mine. But, for now, I am still the speaker and they have been told all they need to know."

Charlie bowed her head, accepting the finality in her mentor's words, but she couldn't stop _reaching_ for that future with her mind. As she and Rowena left the study, Charlie tried to push away the image of Dean, huddled on the cold floor of a cell with a metal collar around his neck, screaming Cas's name until he lost his voice.

* * *

"So, are you going to tell me about these fantasies?"

"Not if I can help it," Cas murmured, picking at the edge of his robe uncomfortably.

"Why not? I'm not going to be upset, Cas."

The omega shook his head and walked to the window of their shared room, staring out across the snowy landscape. When he had lived in the mountains, looking out across that frozen, silent world had always helped calm his mind. "My fantasies were perfectly fine when I was younger, when I was sleeping with betas and omegas, but they wouldn't be appropriate for an omega in a relationship with an alpha."

Dean stepped up behind Cas and slipped his arms around the omega's waist, resting his chin on his shoulder. He waited until he felt the raven-haired man relax somewhat before speaking. "You know, I wasn't the one on top when I met with that rogue alpha."

Cas turned his head, blue eyes widening in shock as they met amused green. "Dean?"

"With the betas I always was, because they wanted it that way. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy it immensely, but it is nice, once in a while, to let someone else be in charge."

"You would let me do that?" Cas's voice was soft, an almost breathless whisper against Dean's cheek as the omega rested his hands on the arms around his waist.

"Would it make you happy?"

"Yeah. Not all the time, but once in a while."

Dean nodded, resting his chin against Cas's. "I'm okay with that, sweetheart. Just not when you're in heat; my wolf wouldn't tolerate it."

Cas chuckled and leaned back against Dean's chest. "Obviously."

"You know, we make quite the pair. My dad would tan my hide if he knew that I let that alpha mount me, and I'm sure your oldest brother wouldn't take to kindly to finding out you're not his idea of a perfect little omega."

"Yeah, we fit together pretty well. I can't wait to find out how well."

Dean's arms tightened at Cas's words, the mood in the room suddenly shifting as the alpha's cinnamon-apple scent spiked. Dean grasped the edges of Cas's robe and slipped it off his shoulders, tossing it on a nearby chair before pulling the omega back into his arms. Cas was only wearing a loose shirt and pants, not even bothering with his wolf fur undergarments until they were ready to go outside. Dean slipped his hand under Cas's loose shirt and ran his fingers across suddenly taut skin, grinning as the omega moaned.

"Dean, this is a bad idea."

"This is a great idea," Dean whispered, nuzzling Cas's ear as his hand slipped lower, loosening the tie on the omega's pants and letting them fall to the floor.

"Dean! Someone could see." Cas reached for his pants, a blush staining his cheeks, but Dean held him in place.

"Shh, there's no one outside right now. Besides, I wouldn't care if they did. You're going to be mine one day, and I want everyone to know it."

Cas chuckled, eyes dropping as Dean's fingers ghosted across his growing erection. He dug his fingers into Dean's arms, fighting against the urge to push into the touch or thrust his hips. He couldn't resist the second time, his hips snapping forward as Dean wrapped his fingers loosely around him. "D-Dean . . ."

"Is this okay, Cas? I won't do anything you don't want, but I've wanted to touch you since we met. This falls within the range of safe things I can do to pleasure my omega."

"Your omega," Cas echoed, his mind fogging with the beginning of that euphoric sensation of being _wanted_ and _commanded_ , not being expected to do anything other than please his alpha. It was why many omegas craved alpha companionship; some said that reaching omega space was better than the actual sex. Cas had never experienced it before, but Dean's words were quickly pushing him over the edge. Suddenly, it seemed natural and right that he was standing half-naked in front of a window, completely exposed with his alpha's hand teasing his cock, a display of how much he belonged to this Wilderness wolf. "Yes, please, Alpha."

Dean paused at the word and the strange undertone in Cas's voice, but the omega seemed to be enjoying himself immensely and had asked him to continue. Using his free hand to remove Cas's shirt, Dean tossed it across the room, using one knee to carefully nudge the omega's legs apart. He obeyed instantly, whining as the sudden scent of his arousal filled the room, slick already leaking down one leg. Dean reached down and gathered some in his hand, using it as a lubricant as he returned to stroking Cas's cock.

He could that the omega was already close, and he had planned to stretch this out a bit longer, but something about Cas's sudden submissiveness concerned him. Kissing Cas just behind his ear, Dean stroked a little faster, using his free hand to hold the raven-haired man in place. The omega whined and struggled against Dean's arm, not hard enough to escape but enough for the alpha to growl sharply at him. Cas stilled instantly, his entire body trembling with the need to _move_ , but he was determined to obey the unspoken command.

Dean pushed his own erection against Cas's bare ass, closing his eyes at the sensation of being so close to what they both desperately wanted, the thought almost enough to make him come right there. He groaned against Cas's neck, catching his breath as the omega began rubbing against him in earnest, sapping what remained of his self-control. Dean focused on stroking Cas, the omega pushing back against him in the same rhythm, both of them chasing their orgasm with breathless moans and needy growls. A moment later, all of that tension exploded, Cas coming on Dean's hand and his own chest, the alpha shuddering through his own release a moment later.

"Damn," Dean whispered, glancing down at his soaked pants. He felt Cas tremble in his arms, the omega barely able to hold himself up, though he was oddly silent. He half-carried, half-dragged the raven-haired man to the bed and helped him stretch out, grabbing a cloth next to the water basin and cleaning him off. Cas stared at Dean as the alpha changed his pants and slipped into bed beside him, pulling the omega into his arms and rubbing his back soothingly. There was a strange brightness in Cas's eyes, something Dean had only seen once or twice before, and he silently cursed himself for letting the omega fall so far.

Cas whimpered and twitched in his arms, curling as close to the alpha as possible. "Cas? Come back to me, sweetheart. I didn't realize what I was doing before, but I need you to snap out of this omega space thing. Can you do that?"

Cas mumbled something and nodded against Dean's chest. "What was that? I liked it."

"Looked like omega space to me. You got awfully compliant all of a sudden, and you were so quiet after I growled at you."

Cas tightened his arm around Dean's waist, blue eyes distant and unfocused. "I just . . . I needed to make you happy. To obey. Suddenly everything you were doing seemed right, and I wanted it more than anything."

"I'm sorry," Dean whispered. "I don't know what I did to push you over the edge . . ."

"I liked it."

Dean leaned up and forced Cas to meet his gaze, amazed at the contentment in those blue eyes. "Cas, you lost all control. I've only seen that omega space thing a couple of times, but I know what it does. How can you like being manipulated like that?"

"It's not really about being controlled," Cas murmured, trying to figure out how to explain the sensation to Dean. "I've had alphas use Voice on me before, and I've wanted to rip their throats out. I broke Michael's jaw the last time he tried it. But you didn't try to control me, so it was different. You wanted to please me, and I wanted to please you. My omega sensed that, I guess, and let me slip into that mindset where I wouldn't be embarrassed or worried, where I could just trust that you would take care of me. I'm not the kind of omega who readily submits to anyone, but I would love to do that again sometime."

Dean chuckled and leaned back against the bed, running his fingers through Cas's dark hair. "Whenever you want, Cas, but we have to be careful. Omega space is definitely a little too close to the line for my comfort, so I need to learn the signs that you've gone over. What did I do that sent you there?"

"You called me your omega," Cas whispered, shivering slightly in the winter chill of the room. Dean reached down and pulled a blanket free, covering the still-naked omega in his arms. "At that moment, all I wanted was to be yours."

"You are, Cas, truly. I don't care about any of this damn political nonsense or my father's permission or anything. You're mine and I'm yours and we will be mated before the spring is over. Honestly, I don't think I can wait much longer to claim you."

Cas chuckled. "I thought you were going to, right there. I felt you pushing against me, and I wanted you so badly . . ."

"Me, too, Cas. We won't have to wait much longer, I promise."

* * *

"Are you sure about this, Dean?"

"Yeah, it's a great idea. Rowena said that messengers routinely flew from one end of the Three Lands to the other, some of them able to make the trip without resting. That's thousands of miles, and the Spellbound border is only a few hundred miles away. We think that you could make it there and back before midnight."

Castiel glanced up at the pre-dawn sky, noting that it was mercifully free of clouds. There was no wind, and Jo hadn't sensed any bad weather in the forecast for at least the next three days. Dean was right, this was the perfect time for such an experiment. Still, the omega couldn't help but be worried.

Dean rested one hand on the small of Cas's back, offering every ounce of encouragement he could. "Look, Rowena really thinks you should try this before the weather changes again. She thinks it'll give you guys a bit more confidence in your abilities."

"Which we will need for the coming war," Castiel finished, already used to the concept. "It's not that I think you're wrong . . ."

"But you don't want to leave." Cas shook his head, his hands vanishing into the huge sleeves of his colorful robe. Dean reached out with his free hand and gently tilted the omega's head up so their eyes could meet. "Cas, that is exactly why you have to go. Part of the reason you want to be around me so much is pressure from your omega instincts, and that's not healthy. We both know that. Trust me, every fiber of my being is telling me to keep you here, to keep you safe, but I promised you and your brothers that you would be warriors by the end of winter. This is an important step toward that goal."

Gabriel and Gadreel approached the pair, the smaller of the two still grumbling and wiping sleep out of his eyes. Sam trailed behind them, a half-full supply bag slung over one shoulder and a cup of one of Tasha's herbal teas in the other. The taller Winchester had grown quite addicted to the witch's impressive collection of teas during the winter, though he had always been fond of them during his previous visits. Dean guessed that the one he had chosen that morning was heavily caffeinated.

"Are we ready to get this show on the road?"

Castiel straightened, all nervousness and trepidation erased in the presence of his two older brothers. "Yes, I believe so. Are you two awake enough for this?"

"As awake as I'm going to get with no sunlight," Gabriel grumbled. "I hate these long nights."

"They're longer in the mountains," Gadreel returned, taking the bag from Sam and checking the contents. "Sam, I hope you packed enough field rations for your boyfriend."

"Damn bottomless pit," the alpha grumbled, tousling Gabe's hair affectionately when the blonde looked up at him in annoyance. "Yeah, there should be enough for all of you for three days, just in case something happens. I packed water skins, but they're empty. As long as you follow the river, you should have no problem with drinkable water. There's a pick in here so you can break through the ice."

"Looks like we have a couple of blankets, a waterproof tarp, fire-making supplies, a medical kit, and three daggers. Ooh, and a bag of that cinnamon tea I like so much."

"Yeah, should have plenty of caffeine to get you guys back tonight. I also packed a small jar of honey since I know that Gabe finds most of Tasha's teas too bitter."

The omega grinned and leaned up to kiss Sam's chin. "Okay, I love you again."

Sam chuckled and leaned down, giving Gabe a proper kiss before gently pushing him toward his brothers. "Go on, get out of here. I need to go relieve Benny on the north watchtower before dawn so the poor man can get some sleep." He glanced over at Gadreel, who had already started stripping out of his clothes and folding them neatly so Cas could tuck them into the supply bag. "Uh, Gad, do you need me to take any messages to him?"

"No thanks, Sam; we already said our goodbyes." The tall omega almost managed not to blush, but a quick jab in his side from his twin evoked an embarrassed chuckle. "Thank you, anyway."

"Of course." Sam waved goodbye as he turned and jogged back toward the city, sticking to the hard-packed path that Dean and his pack had maintained all winter. Dean took the supply bag from Cas as the omega began to strip, Gabe handing over a pile of folded clothes a moment later. Dean finished packing the bag as the three omegas shifted, stretching their legs and shaking their heads in preparation for their journey. Gadreel stepped forward to take the pack, having already told his brothers that he would carry it first.

Cas stepped forward to nuzzle Dean, his head as big as the alpha's torso. Dean smiled, rubbing behind his ears and kissing his forehead before stepping back. "Take care of yourself, Cas."

" _You too, Dean."_

The alpha's eyes widened in shock as a slow smile spread across his face. "Cas, I heard that. I can hear you."

Gabe snuffed something that sounded sarcastic even in wolf form, Cas turning to glare at him. _"Gabe, shush."_ He joined his brothers, pointing toward the forest with his tail raised high. They wouldn't take flight until they were far enough from the city that the pre-dawn darkness would hide their forms. _"I look forward to seeing you when we return."_

"Count on it."

* * *

Balthazar stumbled toward Crowley's study, clutching desperately at the caffeinated tea Linda had brewed that morning. He nodded at the dark-haired alpha standing outside of the Head Alpha's study, too sleepy to notice the shiver of unease that the alpha's stare evoked in him. Balthazar raised his hand to knock, waiting a beat before opening the door and slipping in.

"Any reason I'm awake this early?"

Crowley chuckled and rose to meet the omega, taking his arm and leading him out to his private garden. "You said that Kevin and Alfie are going to be working with you on ranged weapons this afternoon, so I thought we could get you some long-distance flying practice this morning."

"Long distance?" Balthazar stared into his now-empty cup, silently begging his mind to catch up and process Crowley's words. He placed it on the bench near the door, hoping that he would remember to grab it on the way back inside. "I don't understand."

"A few members of Mother's coven came to town last night from a small fortress in the east. They apparently burned through the supplies in the last watch post they passed through, and I need to send someone to restock it."

"Me?"

Crowley shrugged. "We've measured your speed during your flying training; we both know you have the endurance to fly for three or four hours without stopping. By my calculations, the post is less than three hours' flight from here, so you should be able to make it there and back by lunch without any problems."

"That's pretty tight."

"It's a conservative estimate. I think you'll be back faster, and I'd hate to worry your friends. The supplies you need to take don't weigh much; I'll be sending out an expedition to restock the food in all of the watch posts as soon as spring hits, but I can't leave this one without medical supplies or magical herbs. The next wave of witches will be coming to town in a few days and I don't want to hear about my poorly stocked watch posts all spring."

Balthazar rolled his eyes, chuckling at the offended look on Crowley's face. "Do the witches really treat you so badly?"

"You have no idea. There was a time that witches ruled Spellbound pack, but my mother pulled the coven away almost two hundred years ago. Half-witches like myself or mundanes have led our people ever since. Some of my mother's cohorts prefer the old way, and they don't lose any opportunity to remind me of that fact. Also, some of them hate me for being half Celestial, but my mother's been able to keep them from lashing out. Anything I can do to keep the peace is good for the pack."

Balthazar shrugged and walked toward the edge of the garden, running his fingers through his hair. "I can do it, sure. If you need me to."

Crowley placed his hand on Balthazar's upper back, rubbing gently. "I don't _need_ you to. You aren't responsible for peace in my kingdom or protecting my throne. I can send someone else on foot, and they would possibly reach the post before any more witches come through."

Balthazar turned in Crowley's half-embrace, raising one hand to run his fingers through the alpha's dark beard. "What if I want to be responsible for peace in your kingdom and keeping you on that throne? I'm kind of partial to you being in charge here."

"Zar . . ."

"If I'm going to mate, it might as well be to a Head Alpha, and my brother already called dibs on Dean Winchester."

"You're a cheeky little bastard, you know that?"

Balthazar wrapped his arms loosely around Crowley's neck, moving closer as the alpha's arms tightened around his waist. "Yeah, but you like it too much to make me stop."

"Damn straight." Crowley leaned forward, tilting his head up slightly to capture the omega's lips. Balthazar groaned and pushed into the contact, surprised when the alpha stepped forward and growled slightly. Balthazar pulled away, panting, as every omega instinct in his lean body demanded that he drop to the ground and submit to this alpha, a feeling he had never experienced before in his life. Crowley could see the shift, knew the instant that the omega's wolf reared its head, so he quickly changed from a growl to a purr, cupping Balthazar's face in his hand. "Shhh, calm down, Zar. Come back to me."

Balthazar closed his shining blue eyes, taking a few steadying breaths before nodding. "I'm good. Sorry, I've never felt that before."

"You've never submitted to an alpha? Ever?"

"I don't submit. That's not my thing. But I've never really been with an alpha, other than the ones that Michael was interested in us mating. None of them evoked this reaction in me."

Crowley grinned, purposefully stepping away from Balthazar and giving the omega some space. "I'll take that as a compliment. I'll try to keep physical contact to a minimum from now on to avoid that particular issue."

"Uh, hell no. I want to feel that again, as much as I can. I've been fighting my omega instincts my whole life, and it felt nice to give in for once."

"It's dangerous, Zar. If I let you fall too far, it could break you."

Balthazar stepped closer, staring into crimson eyes he never thought he would like so much. "Then don't let me fall. I trust you, Crowley."

"This is really far past my line," the alpha whispered, wrapping one hand around the back of Balthazar's neck and pulling him closer.

"It's not much farther than kissing," Balthazar argued, his hands trembling as he placed them on Crowley's shoulders.

"Kissing is technically past my line," Crowley replied, his voice dropping lower as he rested his free hand on Balthazar's hip and squeezed. The omega went very still, his pupils dilating as azure eyes locked on Crowley's crimson, begging for that feeling again. The alpha growled as he tightened his fingers in Balthazar's unruly blonde hair, grinning at the sudden spike in the omega's rosemary-mint scent. "On your knees," he barked, privately amazed that he could still call his alpha voice when needed. It had been over a decade since he had needed it in his own court, and he had never been with an omega at all.

Balthazar whimpered as he rushed to obey, the blue in his eyes even darker than before as he stared up at the alpha towering above him. Crowley could only resist for a brief moment, dropping to his knees in front of the omega and pulling him into a bruising kiss. Some small part of his mind reminded him to be grateful that the servants were so diligent about keeping the paths in his private garden clear, otherwise he would be waist-deep in snow.

The Head Alpha never let himself lose control, but he was dangerously close to doing just that while kissing the whining omega in his arms. Balthazar had hunched his back and spread his legs, doing everything he could to be smaller than his alpha, and Crowley felt himself sit up straighter in response. He wanted nothing more than to protect this omega, to take care of him and keep him safe _forever_ , and he knew that he had to stop. If he didn't pull away soon . . .

Crowley gasped as he broke the kiss, pulling Balthazar against his chest and resting his chin on top of his head. "What a good boy," he purred, running his fingers through blonde hair as he felt his heart rate slowly return to normal. "I don't think I'll ever get tired of kissing you, but I need you to do something else for me now." Balthazar nodded enthusiastically, wanting nothing more than to obey and please his alpha. "I really need you to come back to me, Zar. Just concentrate on breathing and shaking free from your wolf."

When Balthazar pulled away a minute later, his eyes were back to their normal light blue, the omega grinning broadly. "Wow, that was better than sex."

Crowley snorted, pushing himself to his feet before helping the omega up. "Clearly you've never been with an alpha. I'm guessing all of your partners were betas and omegas?"

"Just dominant male betas, actually. A couple of my brothers partnered with omegas, but I never really bothered. The dynamic is more complicated. If I had known about this voice thing back then, I might have risked a couple of alphas."

Crowley caught himself on the edge of a possessive growl, crimson eyes narrowing as Balthazar laughed. "Ha, ha, very funny. I really don't like the idea of you with another alpha. We may not be courting, but apparently I have a jealous streak."

"Yeah, I'm okay with that. After all, the only thing keeping me from asking you to court me is all this damn political nonsense." Balthazar stepped away from Crowley, clearing his throat as he looked into the sky. The first hint of dawn streaked the faint clouds, the pink/orange color oddly peaceful. "Before we got sidetracked, I told you that I do care about helping you keep your kingdom running smoothly. I meant that. I want to take this mission."

"I'm glad to hear that, Zar. Honestly, when I took over this pack, I was pretty sure I could do it alone, but I really appreciate all of your help over these past few days."

"Good. It's nice to be useful, and not as a potential breeder for my obnoxious brother."

"Let's go get those supplies and send you on your way."

Balthazar nodded and followed Crowley back into the castle, his shoulder blades itching as if someone was watching him. He looked over his shoulder, but he didn't see anything other than a snow-covered garden, and he didn't smell any intruders, so he shrugged off the feeling.

* * *

Patience rarely spoke up in council meetings. As the granddaughter of a powerful psychic who lived as a rogue and the daughter of a Celestial mother who had long ago abandoned her, she often struggled with her gift, brown eyes seeing past people even as she tried to hold normal conversations. Her closest friends, the three youngsters nearest her age, never minded the dark-skinned girl's distant looks, but most of the other pack females and all of the males avoided her like the plague.

Still, when she spoke, everyone listened.

"We have to leave."

Jody Mills, the Head of the small band that had split off from the main Wilderness pack three generations earlier, raised her hand for silence and tilted her head curiously at the young female. She was a beta, her dark hair cut short for simplicity, wiry and fierce enough to rule over alphas. "Why? What's going on, Patience?"

The lean omega whined and dropped her head, smiling as her three friends moved closer to offer their support. Claire Novak, whose parents had been killed by Celestials during a raid ten years earlier, had accepted Jody as her surrogate mother, even though she was growing into a strong alpha whose instincts should be telling her to resist a beta's authority. Her long, wavy blonde hair and blue eyes made her stand out in the pack of darker women, though she was one of the best hunters they had and no one ever stood up to her for long. Alex, Jody's other adopted daughter, was dark where Claire was light, her skills tending toward healing and medicine, though the omega was perfectly happy to fight when required.

The final member of the young women's group, Kaia Nieves, was a recent addition to the pack, the beta having run away from her people who lived far to the west of the Wilderness lands. Her tan skin and curly, dark brown hair were common in her land, as was her unusual connection to the land and reverence for life. Claire had taken a liking to her the instant they met, and the beta could always be found with the alpha and her friends.

With her friends nearby, Patience was able to answer her leader. "I saw a storm brewing, a terrible fight, and four omegas who need our help."

"Four omegas? Do you recognize them?"

Patience shook her head, eyes already glazing over as she returned to her vision. Unlike a true prophet, a psychic had no control over her mental flashes, sometimes seeing things that she could not understand or people that she had never met. "They are four brothers, and I think they are Celestials. They'll be in the capital city less than two weeks after the Spring Equinox."

"Celestials?" Claire was understandably skeptical, especially since her hatred of their northern enemies ran deeper than most. However, her grudge was with the alphas and betas of that pack, not the omegas, so she would help if she was asked to.

"I don't know why there are Celestials in our lands, but I get the feeling that they are running from something. Perhaps they are enemies of Michael."

Jody's second-in-command, a boisterous blonde omega named Donna, leaned forward across the council table and caught the psychic's eye. "What else, Patience? You seem upset."

"I . . . I saw something else, but it's almost like I was seeing it through someone else's eyes. Like, another psychic but not as clear."

"What?"

"I saw Dean Winchester on the floor of a cell, a collar around his neck, screaming something until he lost his voice."

"Dean?!" Jody shot to her feet, Donna by her side in an instant as the other council members murmured amongst themselves. A psychic's vision was never to be taken lightly; Patience had seen Kaia long before she reached their lands, and her warning had ensured that the young beta received a warm welcome instead of an ambush when she arrived.

"It's in the future," Patience assured her leader. "That much I know for sure. It won't happen until after they reach the city."

Kaia tilted her head curiously. "Why do they need us, though?"

"I don't know, but we must be there."

The seventh member of the Upper Council rapped on the table, waiting until she had everyone's attention before speaking. Eileen was deaf, though she could read lips amazingly well, the dark-haired woman having risen through the ranks of the council to reach the position of Weapons Master almost five years earlier. She knew that it was sometimes hard for people to understand her stilted, nasally voice, so she always signed while she spoke. Generally, one of the members of the Lower Council would sit opposite the beta and sign everything that was said during the meeting, just in case the women got too excited and forgot to keep her in the loop.

"Who is 'we'? Who has to go?"

Patience turned slightly to face Eileen, making each person's name sign as she called them out. "Me, Claire, Alex, Kaia, Jody, Donna, and you."

"That's the whole Upper Council. We never all leave at once."

"I know, Eileen, but that's what I saw."

Jody glanced at Eileen and shrugged. "If she saw that . . ." Her signs conveyed her uncertainty more than her tone, but everyone at the table could understand her reticence. Ruling a large, female-dominated pack as a beta was hard enough without leaving on long, unexplainable trips in the beginning of spring. The female members of her pack enjoyed running wild for much of the year, but once hard winter hit they retreated to their main city until late spring.

Donna grabbed Jody's arm, nodding toward Alex and Patience at the other end of the table. "That's a long journey. They'll probably go into heat before we return."

"So will you," Alex countered, tilting her head at the older woman. "We've all survived heat on the road before; this won't be too different."

"We won't be on the road by mid-spring. We'll be in the capital city with hundreds of alphas who are going to get very interested in us very quickly. I don't think your one experience with a lust-crazed rutting alpha is adequate preparation for what we might face."

Claire blushed and dropped her head. "I was fifteen. Am I never going to live that down?"

"No," Jody replied, grinning at her daughter. "But Donna is right to be cautious. Three betas might not be enough to protect you guys during your heats. I'm sure John will give us rooms, but if strange things are happening in town, we need to be ready."

"I don't think we'll be in town that long," Patience murmured, trying to clear up the dark spots in her vision. "Less than two weeks, I believe."

"And then we come home?"

"Then we leave," the omega replied. "I can't guarantee we return here."

Jody, Donna, and Eileen exchanged a charged look, all of them nodding at once as they came to a decision. The four younger members of the Upper Council waited patiently for their elders to make their plans. "I guess we're going. We kinda have to. If Dean is in trouble, we have a duty to protect our next Head Alpha. It sounds like we have a few weeks before we have to leave, so we'll make sure that the town is ready to be without us for however long this takes. Kaia, Alex, and Patience will check our medical and herbal stores and replenish anything they reasonable can before the thaw. Claire and Donna will check with the farmers for any damage to their property, address any serious livestock losses, and ensure crop preparedness for the planting. Eileen and I will check defenses and weapons supplies as well as determine what we will need to take north with us. Lower Council members will take all of our meetings that they can over the next few weeks so that we are free to prepare."

Everyone nodded as they accepted their assignments, the Lower Councilwomen leaving first as Jody officially ended the meeting. As the beta led the women of her inner circle out of the room, she glanced over at Claire. "You know, I haven't been to the capital city in ten years, not since John came back from that border skirmish with the Celestials and asked me to take you in. Dean was a teenager then, just barely past his first rut, and he hadn't even grown into his paws yet. It's going to be nice to see him and Sam again."

* * *

Most wolves craved the security of a pack and the safety of a permanent home, but there were rare exceptions who chose to live among nature, traveling between an unending number of long-term hunting posts and spending most of their time as wolves. They were often called _rogues_ by city-bound wolves, but they tended to think of themselves as _wild_.

The Wilderness lands were patrolled by one very tiny wild pack, the three members all choosing to live outcast from society for their own individual reasons. Their leader was a dark-skinned alpha male who had come from a land so far away that Wilderness pack didn't even have open trading lines there. His wolf form was the same warm dark brown shade as his skin, a color well-suited to the shadows of his forest home. Victor Henrikson had never felt at home in the city, choosing to leave almost two decades earlier with his dark omega companion, the beta joining them ten years later.

The second member of their pack was from the same far-off land, having arrived with the alpha decades earlier in the throes of a psychic vision. Missouri was a large woman, physically intimidating in both forms, and she could read minds with such precision that living in a city had almost made her lose her mind. The omega had been born a psychic, but she chose to study the healing arts, as well, using practices from her home land to help anyone they met or anyone her skills pulled her toward. Her own coat was coal black with gray spots, her near-black eyes often shining with a strange luminescence when she was in the throes of her visions.

The third member of the pack had been born a Wilderness wolf in the main city, but a near-death experience as a teenager had awakened an insanely strong pseudo-psychic gift that let her see many thousands of possible futures on command. People with the beta's abilities had once been called seers, and she chose that word for herself. Pamela's eyes had once been a comfortable, warm brown, but the irises had turned white when her powers were activated. Very few people could hold her gaze long, the black pinprick of her pupil belying the common misconception that she was truly blind. Her skin was pale like most Wildernesses, her long, curled brown hair falling just past her shoulders. Her wolf form was much more colorful, a beautiful brindle blue over black and white, and she was the smallest of the three despite being a beta.

The three of them were eating peacefully around a campfire at one of their more permanent camps, a large tent behind them and the snow reasonably cleared away from their seats, when Missouri groaned and dropped her head into her hands. Pamela straightened a moment later, humming to herself as she clearly reacted to the same vision that her friend had seen.

"Damn that boy," the omega groaned. "What kind of trouble has he gotten himself into this time? It's the middle of winter; he should be tucked away safely in his palace."

Victor didn't ask, waiting patiently for an explanation.

The seer turned her eerie gaze on her leader. "Dean Winchester is in danger. Not physically, but psychologically. The vision . . . it's not mine."

"Nor mine," the omega confirmed curiously. "Where did it come from?"

"A prophet. A new prophet is rising, and their witch is channeling the first of their visions."

"What do we need to do about it?"

Missouri shrugged. "A rising prophet can trigger sudden and intense visions in psychics and seers thousands of miles away, but these visions are uncoordinated and messy. From what I can tell, the danger is in the capital city, a few weeks after Spring Equinox, but I cannot be more specific than that."

"Then we'll go to the city once the thaw begins."

"No," Pamela whispered, tilting her head to the side as she sorted through her own visions. She couldn't clear up the image she received second-hand, but she could focus her gift on the many possible futures open to them. "Missouri's granddaughter will be there to assist him. We must go south and east, a days' flight from the city, and wait."

Victor tilted his head and rubbed his goatee thoughtfully. "A days' flight? Pam, we don't fly. We run. No one flies."

"That's the measurement I see; I can't explain it. It seems to equate to a three-day hard run. The camp on Coral Lake will do fine. We will arrive there two weeks after the Equinox and wait."

"Wait for what?"

"Prophecy."


	8. Defended

Chapter 8: Defended

* * *

Balthazar sighed gratefully into the silence of his mind as he finally spotted the huge Spellbound castle on the horizon. The trip had only taken five hours, but he had taken a half-hour break at the watch post to eat a quick meal and rest his wings. He had never flown for so long; he was glad that he had been able to do it, but he was beyond ready to return to the ground. He knew that the clearing where he had taken off was just within sight of the palace, spotting it a moment later among the dark smudge of the winter pines. Balthazar folded his iridescent white wings and dove for the ground, flaring them at the last minute to halt his speed.

Balthazar folded his wings away and sniffed the ground, finding the path he took that morning and trotting off toward the palace. He knew from the position of the sun overhead that he had at least an hour before weapons' practice, so he kept a steady pace until he reached the end of the trees. Crowley had promised that a guard would be waiting there to accompany him back to the palace, so Balthazar raised his head as soon as he emerged into the brilliant sunlight, searching for his escort.

He spotted the guard almost immediately, shifting forms and grabbing his supply bag as the taller man approached. Balthazar recognized him as the dark-haired alpha who was often standing outside Crowley's study in the mornings when he visited. He searched his memories for the frowning man's name, finally remembering it as the alpha stopped in front of him.

"Gerald. Are you my escort?" Balthazar tried to ignore that shiver of unease that he always felt when he was around the alpha, not having the slightest idea why the man worried him. He knew that Gerald had once served Abaddon but had been loyal to Crowley for decades, even fighting by his side in the most recent Celestial skirmish.

"Yeah. Go ahead and get dressed and we'll head back."

Balthazar nodded and turned toward his bag, a sudden icy shock shooting down his spine. He sensed the alpha move closer before he could respond to that sudden terror, the cold bite of a metal collar snapping around his neck.

The omega jumped back, facing the taller alpha as he raised one hand to run along the collar, fear blossoming in his pale blue eyes. He had never seen a control collar before, but he knew what it was for. Once the collar was locked in place, the wearer couldn't shift into wolf form, and they were often etched with runes that would prevent pack and bond communications.

Gerald's eyes had darkened with hatred, a sinister malevolence coloring his scent. He grabbed Balthazar's arm and threw him against the nearest tree, grinning as the omega yelped in pain. "You stupid little pup. You thought we would allow some arrogant little Celestial to mate our Head Alpha? I've been watching you with him over the past few days, and it makes me sick. Crowley sent me here to escort you back to the castle, but I promise that you will never see it again." He lunged for the omega, but Balthazar had been anticipating the attack and dodged away a moment before the alpha grabbed for him.

The Celestial took a second to consider his options, trying to ignore the terror clawing at him. He hadn't practiced fighting in human form much, and rarely without weapons, but he knew that running wasn't an option unless he could incapacitate the larger alpha. Gerald lunged at him again, Balthazar just barely dodging his fist as he ducked and managed to land a punch of his own. He twisted away, eyes flying to the supply bag as he tried to remember if there was a knife in there somewhere. With no other options, Balthazar dove for the bag, gasping as a kick to his side threw him to the ground.

"I thought about poisoning you," Gerald growled, kicking Balthazar as he tried to rise. "Then I heard about this mission Crowley gave you, and I realized that this is better. He'll think you ran away, and he'll never suspect a thing."

"You're wrong," Balthazar growled defiantly, one hand scrabbling at the ground for a weapon as Gerald grabbed the edge of the collar and pulled him up. "He'll know what you did. He'll kill you, you backstabbing bastard."

Gerald punched him, dropping the groaning omega back to the ground. "I've been with him for decades, his most obedient and loyal guard. You think he cares about you more than me? He won't even _miss_ you. He's just playing with you while you're here; he'll forget all about you when spring comes and the Spellbound omegas go into heat. Who do you think you are, you worthless, ugly pup, that he would ever want anything to do with you?"

Balthazar whined, wondering if the alpha was right. He had only known Crowley such a short time, and it didn't make any sense for the Head Alpha of Spellbound to ever be interested in _him_ , a too-tall, runaway Celestial omega with wings and a prophecy of destruction hanging around his neck. He barely felt the next few blows land on his face and chest as he retreated further and further into his mind, trying to protect himself and screaming for his wolf to take control. His searching fingers brushed across a rock, and he grabbed it without thinking, swinging it at his attacker. A satisfying _crack_ and a yelp heralded his success, the alpha falling back and leaving Balthazar free to flee.

He couldn't change form, but his wolf was more than happy to take control of the situation and do the one thing omegas desired during conflict: run. Without a backward glance, Balthazar fled into the trees, holding his bruised ribs and wiping the blood out of his one good eye. He heard the alpha howl behind him, but he was already deep in the trees and searching for a place to hide until the alpha gave up the chase. Balthazar, falling deeper and deeper into the safety of his own mind, begged his wolf to take him back to his brothers.

He should never have come to Spellbound lands.

* * *

"Crowley! So good to see you."

The Head Alpha froze at the voice, groaning in the secrecy of his own mind as he plastered a welcoming smile on his face. "Don, I didn't know you had come to town."

The alpha witch wasn't much taller than Crowley, lean but powerful with dark brown hair and vibrant indigo-purple eyes. He was one of the oldest witches in the coven, his petite beta mate following close behind him. Donald and Maggie Stark had supported Crowley's takeover of Spellbound pack, using their considerable power and influence to keep peace throughout the kingdom. They both carried the title of Guardian, granted to them by Rowena when they helped to drive Cain and his pack into the swamplands that comprised the northern part of Spellbound lands, and they took the responsibility of protecting the coven very seriously. Crowley owed them a great deal, but Don and Maggie could still be overwhelming at times.

"We came with Clea from the south," the witch replied, tilting his head curiously at his leader. "Your scent is different. There's a hint of rosemary . . . have you taken a mate since the last time we were in town?"

Crowley shook his head, continuing his trek toward his throne room, knowing that the pair of witches would follow him. "No, but I have been spending some time with a young omega who has recently come to visit."

"A Celestial?" Maggie caught Crowley's arm as she sensed him stiffen. Her long, chocolate-colored hair was currently braided over one shoulder, the innocent style belied by the power in her nearly-black purple eyes. "He is, isn't he? I heard something about a Celestial in town when I arrived. I'm told he's cute."

Crowley didn't blush, but the sudden color in his cheeks was frighteningly close. Maggie was something of a matchmaker; her teasing, suggestive tone indicating that she approved of the young Celestial even before meeting him. "He is, yes," Crowley answered reluctantly. The last thing he wanted was for the Starks to get involved in his love life.

"Great! We'll have to meet him while we're here." The slender beta looped her arm through Crowley's, matching the alpha's speed as they headed toward the throne room, Don shaking his head as he followed a few steps behind.

"Maggie, don't you get tired of interfering in other people's love lives?"

"Nope! Besides, I've been waiting for Fergus to find a nice omega for a long time now."

Crowley shuddered as they reached the throne room, a pair of servants throwing the doors open as the guards along the wall straightened smartly. "I've asked you time and again not to call me that. I go by Crowley."

"Fine, Crowley," Maggie relented, her enthusiastic energy undimmed by the rebuff. "What's his name, this young omega who caught your eye?"

"Balthazar." Crowley disentangled his arm from Maggie's, patting her hand as he ascended the two steps to his throne and nodded at the alpha seated in the floor-level pseudo-throne. Abaddon bowed her head to her alpha, her long, gently curled red hair flowing across her shoulders and down her back as she bent her head to glance at the list of the day's petitioners. As the daughter of a witch, she had the signature red eyes, but her shade was more of a bright cranberry instead of the dark crimson that Crowley sported or the lighter ruby of his mother's primary guard.

Ruby and Meg entered the hall just behind their Head Alpha, nodding toward the servants who brought four chairs forward and arranged them along the wall near the throne. Don and Maggie took the two nearest Crowley, their positions as noble witches ranking them above noble half-witches like Ruby, despite her high rank in Crowley's entourage. As soon as they were seated, Ruby leaned over and greeted the beta witch warmly, nodding at Don as he turned and bowed his head. It had been some time since the pair had last visited the city, and Ruby was quite fond of the way they kept Crowley on his toes almost as much as his own mother did.

"We have a petition from one of the southern farming communities first," Abaddon announced, glancing at Crowley for his permission before waving for the servants to bring in the day's supplicants. Abaddon held court in the mornings, Crowley taking over the serious cases from noon until about two or three, then highly-ranked witches and noble half-witches would spend the rest of the afternoon filtering the next day's requests. It was organized and efficient, two things that Crowley prided himself on.

Before the leader of the small group of farmers could speak, a ragged, bleeding man stumbled into the throne room and staggered to the foot of Crowley's dais before collapsing. All of the gathered nobles and spectators fell silent as their head alpha descended to the floor, helping the man to his feet, Abaddon lending her arm. "Gerald?" The first spark of fear ignited inside the Head Alpha as he remembered that he had sent this guard to escort Balthazar back from his quick mission that morning. He hadn't worried when the omega didn't greet him upon returning, assuming that the boy had met with his temporary siblings for weapon practice.

The alpha guard raised one hand to the jagged cut that sliced across his forehead, blood still running from the wound down his cheek. His uniform was dirty, torn and studded with bits of twigs and leaves as if he had run through the forest at high speed. "He attacked me," the alpha gasped, his legs shaking as he struggled to maintain his balance. Don glanced at Maggie as both witches stood, Ruby and Meg rising uncertainly to their feet at the action.

"Balthazar? Why?"

"I went to the forest to escort him home, like you asked me to, but he didn't want to come back. He said that he couldn't possibly be with a Spellbound alpha and all he wanted was to return to his brothers. I tried to convince him to come back, but he clocked me with a rock and ran into the forest. I searched for almost an hour, but I couldn't find him."

Crowley took a step back, shock warring with despair in his chest. Balthazar didn't want him? He ran away? But he had been so insistent on helping Crowley, and so beautifully submissive in his arms . . . Crowley latched onto that last thought, the memory of Balthazar's lips on his, the scent of the omega that still clung to his clothes hours later. No. The Celestial wouldn't just run away, and certainly not on his own in the middle of winter. He knew that Crowley would let him leave if he wanted to, but his words still rang in the alpha's mind.

" _After all, the only thing keeping me from asking you to court me is all this damn political nonsense."_

"You're lying," Crowley growled, the silence in the room suddenly taking on an aura of fear that it hadn't held before. Don and Maggie stood straighter at the sound, exchanging a knowing look as they waited to see what the Head Alpha would do.

The guard shook his head, somehow steadier on his feet as glowing crimson eyes rose to meet his muddy brown. "I'm not! I've been loyal to you for decades, fighting by your side against Cain and in the recent Celestial skirmish. Why would I lie?"

"I don't care," Crowley whispered, his hands slowly balling into fists as he struggled to contain his wolf. "He wouldn't leave me. He all but asked me to court him; why would he run?" A chill ran down his spine as the Head Alpha realized that the omega could have run if this guard had frightened him badly enough. "What did you do to make him run?"

Gerald opened his mouth to answer, a sharp growl from his left giving him pause. Don watched him with glowing purple eyes, power sparking from his fingers as he itched to teach this guard a lesson. "Do not lie to your Head Alpha," the witch warned softly, the alpha and betas by his side echoing his aggressive posture.

Abaddon's grip on Gerald tightened in a warning, no longer supportive. "I told him the truth," the guard hissed, knowing better than to lie with two witches in the room. "I told him that he doesn't deserve to be courted by our Head Alpha, to mate into Spellbound pack. I told him that we can't allow some worthless Celestial omega to seduce you and that I wouldn't allow him to return here, to _my_ home, where he doesn't belong. I told him that he had no right to think that you'd care about him beyond the spring and that you wouldn't even miss him if he left."

Crowley stared at the guard for a long moment, Ruby and Meg gaping in shock at the man's words. No one who had seen Crowley's first meeting with Balthazar or their daily interactions would believe that the alpha cared so little for the visiting omega, but this guard's deep hatred for the Celestials had clearly landed on the only full-blood target in the palace, one ill-equipped to deal with such vitriol.

When Crowley spoke, he used his alpha voice, cowing everyone in the room except for Donald and Maggie, even Abaddon dropping her gaze to the floor and sinking down slightly. "He is not _worthless_ , he is not _unwanted_ , and he sure as Hell is not _uncared for._ If he wants to make this his home, if he does me the honor of asking me to mate him, that is my business, not yours. He will leave in the spring because my mother has asked him to, not because I desire it in any way, and I will miss him greatly when he is gone. I care for Balthazar more than I thought I ever could, and if you do not tell me where my omega is _right now_ , I will _TEAR YOUR FUCKING THROAT OUT!"_

Ruby had never seen Crowley angry. Annoyed, frustrated, displeased, vexed, and hostile, yes, but never outright, tear-someone's-throat-out, homicidally furious. There were days when she forgot the story of how Crowley had won leadership of the pack, forgot how he had chased Cain, Lilith, and Cain's children out of the Spellbound capital city, but she could see that commanding, powerful alpha now. Her own alpha quivered in fear inside her, terrified that Crowley would turn his glowing crimson eyes upon her, but she fought against that desperate urge to submit, to show her throat to her leader. Around the room, almost every other wolf had done just that, barely daring to breathe and risk catching his attention.

"I don't know," Gerald whispered, his knees shaking in fear. "I met him at the edge of the woods where you said, and I . . . he ran into the forest. I chased him, but I never found him."

"What else did you do to him?" Crowley could tell that his guard, a man he had thought so loyal just that morning, was holding something back.

Donald snapped his fingers, a web of purple lightning tightening around Gerald's throat as a quick spell compelled him to speak. "I collared him and beat him," the alpha gasped, struggling against Abaddon's suddenly iron grip as he futilely fought against the witch's spell. "I intended to kill him, but he hit me with a rock and ran away."

Crowley had a very long, slow-burning fuse. He never lost his temper, never felt the need to lash out at his people, and he certainly never lost control of his wolf. For the first time in his life, Crowley had been pushed too far, and he snapped. He lunged forward so fast that Ruby almost missed it, his sharp canine teeth sinking into Gerald's exposed neck with a satisfying _crunch_ as he shoved the alpha to the floor, blood spraying in an arc from his severed carotid artery. Gerald gasped, desperately grabbing at the blood gushing from his neck as he flopped around on the floor, terrified eyes meeting the coldly furious gaze of his alpha. Death by exsanguination was quick, and Crowley had wanted to torture the alpha who dared lay a hand on _his omega_ , but his fury had demanded an outlet.

As soon as the body fell still, Crowley turned his glowing crimson eyes on Abaddon, his second standing there obediently with her head tilted to the side to expose her neck and her eyes locked on Gerald's still form. "Round up every guard and servant in my palace and find out how deep this corruption runs," he growled, the fury from before having solidified into icy determination. "Deal with this problem in whatever way you see fit, but make sure that this place is safe for my omega when he returns."

"Yes, Alpha," Abaddon whispered, knowing better than to move before her leader left the room. He was still high-strung enough to attack.

Donald stepped forward and held out a handkerchief, Crowley taking it gratefully and wiping the blood from his mouth and cheek. The witch glanced down at the body, noting that the jagged tear had sliced through the trachea, as well, broken rings of cartilage sticking out of the blood. He had never, in three hundred years, seen an alpha rip someone's throat out with just his human teeth, and he had never respected Crowley more.

"Ruby," Crowley called, staring at the bloodied cloth in his hand. "Fetch Linda; we're going to need my best tracker to find Balthazar now."

"Yes, Alpha," Ruby replied, waiting for Crowley to nod at her before leaving the throne room, Meg in tow.

"We'll come with you, if you want," Donald offered, Maggie nodding as she joined him beside their leader.

"Yes, please do." Maggie snapped her fingers and materialized a small supply bag, one that was large enough to carry clothes for a handful of wolves but not much else. Crowley nodded in thanks and stepped around the body on the floor, heading out of his throne room, the two witches just behind him.

As soon as Crowley was gone, Abaddon took a seat in his throne, the position she always used when she held court in his name. A pair of guards approached the body on the marble floor, but a quick growl from the red-headed alpha stilled them. "Leave it," she ordered. "Bring me every member of his unit, stripped of their weapons, and let's see how far his poison has spread."

* * *

Ruby and Meg were waiting at the city gate with Linda, the beta's two pups standing behind her silently. Linda had been apprised of the events that transpired in the throne room, but the traces of blood on Crowley's normally pristine suit made it all a little more real. Her voice, when she spoke, was soft and respectful. "You need my help to find him?"

"Yes. I know where he entered the forest, but he already managed to evade one alpha, and I know that he and his brothers were adept at hiding from their older siblings even while in heat. I believe that your special skills may be of use here."

Linda nodded and pulled off her shirt, quickly stripping down to her wolf-fur undergarments as her sons followed suit. Maggie handed her the bag, packing her own clothes in side as her mate followed suit, Ruby and Meg waiting patiently for orders. Crowley stripped out of his clothes and handed them to Linda, nodding toward the two women who had brought Balthazar to him. "Do you want to come with us? It's your choice."

Ruby shook her head. "We're needed here, to help Abaddon. You'll feel better knowing that people loyal to you are making this palace safe again." She paused for a long moment, biting her lip as she dropped her eyes to the ground. "I've seen abused omegas before, Crowley, and more alphas won't make him feel better. You and Linda know what he needs more than I do, and I have every faith that you will find him and bring him home safely."

"Of course," Crowley promised, reaching out to clap a hand on Ruby's shoulder. "Thank you."

Ruby bowed her head and led Meg back to the palace, knowing that it could be a very messy afternoon for Abaddon. Behind them, Crowley shifted into his wolf form, Kevin taking the supply bag as the Head Alpha dashed off, Linda just behind him with the witches in the rear to guard the omegas.

They reached the tree line within an hour, Crowley growling softly at the metallic scent of blood near the abandoned supply bag at the meeting point. He shifted out of form, carefully lifting the nearly-empty bag as Linda touched a bloodied, fist-sized rock nearby. She examined the ground for a moment, Crowley tucking Balthazar's supply bag into Kevin's as he waited for the tracker to speak. "There was a fight here, for sure. This is where Balthazar was thrown to the ground, and here is where Gerald landed when he was thrown off."

"The blood on the rock is his?"

"Yes, but that is not the only blood here."

Crowley's hand strayed to the communications tattoo on his arm, silently cursing himself for not giving Balthazar a way to reach out to him. He briefly considering contacting his mother and asking her to have Tasha speak to the boy, but there was a very good chance that he was in no condition to answer. He also couldn't bear to tell his mother that the omega had been hurt while under his protection until he was sure that Balthazar was okay. He had to be okay.

Linda glanced up at him, pointing toward the trees. "He entered there. Let's go."

She followed the trail for almost two hours, sniffing every broken twig and torn leaf, examining tracks in the dirt and marks on the rough bark of trees. She found where Gerald had given chase relatively quickly, dismissing his scent and marks as she led the group to the edge of a small stream. Linda sniffed the bare ice, scratching at the uncertain surface and testing her weight before leading the group across it and deeper into the dark forest.

The ground was hillier north of the stream, dark trees clustered together around the mouths of small caves and dens, many of them from previous winters and empty now, though they did come across a hibernating bear as they followed the beta. Crowley had long ago lost the fear-sour rosemary scent, and clearly Gerald had, too, but Linda's nose was incredible and she walked in a perfectly straight, confident line.

When she reached the entrance to yet another abandoned den, the beta looked over her shoulder at the head alpha, nodding before switching forms. "He's in there."

The rest of the pack switched back, Kevin quickly handing out clothes as Maggie moved closer to the den, reaching out with her empathic abilities and touching the terrified mind within. "He is lost to his wolf," she whispered. "I can sense the collar that Gerald put on him, so he can't shift forms, but he managed to pull his wolf out, anyway. I don't believe I've ever seen that ability in a mundane before."

"Kevin and I can go in," Alfie offered, eyes trying to pierce the darkness. "He trusts us."

"I know he does," Crowley replied, "but he'll come to me. I'll go."

"That's not the best idea," Linda argued, her normal maternal fire having returned during the long search. "He was attacked by an alpha; why would he trust one now?"

"We have a . . . connection, if you will. It's best that I go in alone."

"Crowley—"

"Linda! I know what I'm doing!" Crowley kept his voice low, not wanting to startle Balthazar, but he had to make the beta understand. "If he stays in this state much longer, he could lose his sanity. I will not let that happen to another omega in my pack!"

Linda's eyes widened at the words, remembering back to her omega friend who had taken her own life after Asmodeus's cruelty took her mind. Her eyes softened as she finally realized _why_ Crowley had fought Abaddon a second time, as she appreciated why he had been so desperate to win. He felt guilty about her friend's death, and he hadn't wanted something like that to happen to another omega ever again. "Okay," she whispered, that simple word conveying her apology and trust.

Crowley nodded and walked into the den, ducking almost immediately as his head scraped the ceiling. He heard a shuffling sound off to the left, deeper in the cave, and he was suddenly grateful for his enhanced night vision. He spotted Balthazar a moment later, huddled up against the wall in the back of the abandoned bear's den, his legs pulled up to his chest as he tried to pull some of the dried bedding around him. The omega was shivering even in the relative warmth of the den, but he didn't seem to be in any danger of hypothermia.

Crowley sat down in the den entrance, blocking the only route of escape as a precaution. He offered a small purr, hoping that the omega would recognize him as a friend even without the aid of light. Balthazar jumped, eyes searching for the intruder, holding perfectly still in the hopes that he would be left alone.

"Balthazar, can you hear me?" The omega whined and tried to back away, his fear scent spiking as he realized that he was trapped. "Hey, it's okay. I'm not going to hurt you. I'm here to take you home, where it's warm and safe."

The omega growled and dropped his head into his arms, clearly trying to ignore the alpha until he went away. Crowley sighed and glanced over his shoulder, trying to decide if Kevin or Alfie might be a better option, but he was worried that Balthazar was too far gone to hear even them.

The alpha snapped his fingers as he realized how he could reach past the wolf. He had to be careful, though, since he had no idea exactly what Gerald had done to the Celestial. Drawing on his alpha voice, Crowley called out across the cave. "Balthazar, listen to me." The omega raised his head, one bright eye searching for the voice calling his name. Concerned that he could only see one eye, Crowley closed one hand over the other, and cast one of the few spells he could manage on his own: summoning a small, bright ball of witch-light. As the luminescence filled the den and he could finally see the extent of Balthazar's injuries, Crowley felt his wolf rear its head again. Bruises covered Balthazar's side and face, his left eye swollen shut from the damage and blood caking the side of his face from a cut on his forehead. His back was scratched, though the bleeding had long ago stopped, and his legs and arms were covered in wounds inflicted by the trees had had barreled through in his desperate attempt to escape his attacker. The silver of a runed control collar shone from his neck, preventing the omega from shifting and simply flying away. Crowley knew that he had done the right thing by tearing Gerald apart, though some small part of him wished that he had made the alpha suffer more.

The Head Alpha reigned his wolf in, knowing that he had to stay calm and controlled for the omega's sake. "Balthazar, you're hurt. Let me take you home so we can get you cleaned up."

"H-home?" A flicker of recognition flashed in that eye, but the omega didn't move.

"Yes, home. With me. I know that the other alpha said some terrible things, but none of them were true. I do care about you, and I want you to come back."

Balthazar shook his head, retreating back behind his wolf. "He'll hurt me again."

"No, he won't," Crowley promised, his eyes flashing in the oddly-colored light. "I tore him apart. If anyone else ever lays a hand on you, I'll do the same to them."

For some reason, that seemed to get through, Balthazar looking up at the alpha. "You killed him? He said you wouldn't. He said you wouldn't miss me."

"I just spent three hours tracking you through the densest part of my forests, Zar. I very much missed you." He glanced over his shoulder at the tunnel that would lead them out, hoping that he could get through to the young omega without having to call in his pack mates. "I could order you to follow me, but I wouldn't do that to you. It has to be your choice."

Balthazar shivered as he watched the alpha, clearly debating with his wolf the dangers of this plan. "I don't want to go back out there," he whispered, "but I can't stay here. I'm cold and hungry and I can't shift."

"I can take care of that," Crowley whispered. "Come here."

Balthazar slowly unfolded himself from his defensive position, slowly crawling over to Crowley as the alpha placed his glowing ball of light on the nearby wall. Balthazar paused just before reaching the alpha, but Crowley opened his arms wide and smiled gently. With a strangled sob, the omega jumped forward, curling up in the alpha's protective embrace and giving into his terror at last. As he cried, Crowley sensed the omega's wolf retreat, finally convinced that he was safe, the alpha holding him until he ran out of tears.

"Are you ready to go?" Balthazar nodded against Crowley's chest, wincing as he started to feel his injuries. "Is anything broken?"

"I don't think so," the omega whispered, touching the swollen skin around his eye and running his fingers over his bruised side. "It hurts to breathe, but no stabbing pains."

"I have someone in town who can help patch you up," Crowley promised, glancing toward the exit as he let his witch-light slowly fade. "We'll have to crawl out; it's too low to stand."

With one hand tightly gripping the omega's, Crowley slowly crawled out of the cave, pulling Balthazar into the sunlit forest behind him. His pack had retreated from the den entrance, all of them dressed and patiently waiting for their alpha to return, not wanting to startle the omega. As soon as they spotted their friend, Kevin and Alfie rushed forward, stopping just outside of arm's reach and staring at Balthazar.

The blonde smiled and opened his arms, gingerly hugging each of his friends in turn before returning to Crowley's side. "I'm okay," he assured them, smiling despite the damage to his face. He hugged Linda when she approached, eyeing the two purple-eyed strangers warily as he moved to stand behind his alpha.

"They're friends," Crowley assured him, "very old friends. They aren't going to hurt you."

Maggie touched her mate's shoulder, indicating that he should stay back to avoid frightening the Celestial. She stepped forward and held out a hand, smiling as Balthazar reached out to let her grasp his. "Do you want me to take off that collar?"

"Yes," Balthazar whined, stepping forward and baring his neck. Maggie reached for the collar and turned it until she could see the lock, a tiny zap of her purple magic snapping it open. The omega sighed as he felt his wolf return, the itch to shift dancing under his skin. "Thank you," he breathed, rubbing his bruised neck.

"It's a long walk back on foot," Linda began, glancing at her temporarily adopted son. "Are you going to be okay shifting?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I won't lose myself again, if that's what you mean." He glanced down at his hand, still holding Crowley's tightly.

"Alright, everyone shift and I'll find the best path out of here."

The trip back to the city didn't take as long as Crowley had feared. Somehow, Balthazar's headlong flight had carried him north and west, closer to the city than his original rendezvous point had been. The omega ran by Crowley's side the entire time, Balthazar trusting the alpha to help keep him grounded and sane. As soon as they reached the castle gates, Crowley shifted back and gestured for the others to do so, as well. Kevin handed out everyone's clothes, pulling Balthazar's supply bag out and passing it over.

As soon as Balthazar was dressed, he reached for Crowley's hand, freezing at the dark brown spots on the alpha's suit. "There's blood on your shirt," he whispered.

Crowley nodded. "I'll change as soon as I get a chance. It's Gerald's blood."

Balthazar shrank against his side, the alpha curling an arm around his shoulders as he led the group inside. "Don, would you be so kind as to fetch Clea and bring her to my private study? Zar and I will meet you there shortly."

"Of course, Alpha," the witch replied, offering the traditional response for the first time since Crowley took the throne. Maggie rolled her eyes at her mate, following him toward the witch wing of the palace as Crowley led Linda and her boys toward the throne room.

The two guards standing near the huge double-doors were not the same alphas who had been there earlier, but they straightened instantly as Crowley approached, tilting their heads to the side slightly in a gesture of submission. Clearly the stories of the bloody events that had transpired earlier in the day had already made their rounds of the palace. Crowley held his head higher, pulling Balthazar tightly against his side as he strode into his throne room, noting the silence that gripped his court.

Abaddon stood from his throne, bowing her head as she returned to her own and waved at a servant to bring a chair for the omega. Linda and her sons took the seats previously occupied by Ruby, Donald, and Maggie, Meg sitting with them while Ruby stood near Abaddon's throne at the bottom of the dais. Balthazar slowed as his eyes took in the sight of Gerald's body lying in a pool of dried and drying blood, blank eyes still filled with the terror that engulfed him when Crowley attacked. He glanced at the jagged wound on the side of the alpha's neck, blue eyes widening as he realized where the blood on Crowley's suit had come from.

"I tore his throat out," the alpha informed him, "for daring to lay a hand on you."

Crowley led Balthazar to his throne, the omega taking the chair that had been placed to one side while the alpha settled into his seat of power. "Abaddon, have someone take the body away. I am pleased that you left it for Zar to see when he returned."

Balthazar squeezed his hand, grateful for the closure that Crowley had offered him. It would take a while for him to be able to spend time with strange alphas without fear, but at least he knew that Gerald would never be a problem again.

"Of course, Alpha," Abaddon replied, sticking to his title in case Crowley was still agitated. "Is there anything your omega needs?" She waved vaguely at Balthazar's swollen eye and the dark bruising visible around his neck.

Balthazar blushed at the possessive words, knowing that Abaddon would not have used them if Crowley hadn't made his position abundantly clear before dashing off to search the forest. He leaned his head on Crowley's shoulder, letting the alpha's strong scent comfort him as he silently confirmed his place in the pack. He hadn't known weeks ago why Rowena would send him to Spellbound lands, but now he dreaded the day when he would have to leave.

"No, Abaddon, that will not be necessary. Clea will see to him when we are done."

The redhead nodded and took a list from Ruby's hands, scanning through the names. "We were able to identify four members of Gerald's unit who agreed with his position, Charisse offering her services to elicit the truth." Crowley nodded; Charisse was a young member of the coven, a natural-born witch whose powers tended toward empathy and mind-reading. Rowena liked to call the young omega a truthsayer. "They are in the dungeons awaiting your return. Two more have admitted that they do not want a Celestial to mate you, but they were visibly upset when I told them that Gerald here had attempted to kill your omega to prevent that eventuality. They are locked in their quarters, under guard."

Crowley nodded. "Find a creative and painful way to kill the first four, and do make sure it involves the control collars. Demote the other two from palace duty for six months until you are sure that they will not cause any issues in the future. Have you started questioning the staff?"

"Uh, just the personal servants. None of them are any less than completely loyal."

Balthazar squeezed Crowley's hand and leaned forward to whisper in his ear. "Gerald told me that he thought about poisoning me before this mission came up."

Crowley growled, the sound silencing his court. He took a moment to appreciate the new level of respect he had earned by slaughtering a man at the foot of his throne, calming his wolf with no small amount of effort. "Abaddon, skip ahead to the kitchen staff. And assign Balthazar one of my personal taste testers for the remainder of his stay here."

"Of course."

Crowley led Balthazar out of the throne room soon after that, Linda and her pups in his wake. They walked to his private study in silence, Maggie and Donald already waiting there with a third witch, a dark-skinned woman with short black hair who wore more necklaces and talismans than a merchant's booth could display. The woman rose as Crowley entered the room, her dark indigo-purple eyes locked on the omega by his side.

"Balthazar, this is Clea, my mother's third in command and a powerful healer. Will you let her look you over?"

Balthazar nodded and took his customary cushion, Crowley seated on one side, Kevin and Alfie sharing the cushion on the other. Clea pulled a cushion up to face the young omega, Donald and Maggie staying on their feet nearby with Linda. The witch raised one hand, a dozen bracelets jingling as she touched Balthazar's swollen eye, a flash of purple light healing the damage. She repeated the action with the cut across his forehead and the bruises on his neck, reaching for a bowl of water on the table and carefully cleaning away the caked blood. "Do you have other wounds, child?"

Balthazar nodded, wincing as he pulled his shirt over his head. He kicked off his shoes and slipped out his pants, waving his hand at the bruises and cuts covering his slender form. Clea nodded and started with the bruises, smiling as the omega began to breathe easier, moving onto the deeper cuts before healing the last of the abrasions on his back. She cleaned the last of the blood from his skin, watching as yawned, struggling to keep his blue eyes open. "How are you feeling, little one?"

"Better," Balthazar whispered. "Thank you. I'm tired, though."

"That's a normal side-effect of the healing. You should try to eat something and get some rest."

Crowley reached down and pulled Balthazar to his feet, not even bothering to grab his clothes. "I'll take him to my rooms to rest. Linda, can you have some food sent up?"

Linda glared at Crowley, narrowing her dark eyes as she sent a message along the pack bond to him, knowing that he would be able to hear her even though both of them were in human form. _"I don't think he should go with you."_

Crowley turned to Alfie and smiled at the pup. "Can you take Zar to my quarters, Alfie? I need to speak with your mother."

Alfie nodded and took Balthazar's arm, Kevin taking the other one as they led the taller omega away. Crowley pulled Linda to one side, waiting until the three witches left before speaking. "I think he should."

"Crowley, the boy has been through a lot. He should curl up with my boys for a while and limit his exposure to alphas."

Crowley's instinct, especially with his wolf so close to the surface, was to simply order her to accept his decisions, but he was tired of fighting with this feisty beta. He wanted her support, wanted her to be a trusted member of his inner circle, so he swallowed his instincts and tried to explain himself. "I understand why you feel that way, Linda, but running away isn't going to help him heal. When he leaves here, he will have to interact with plenty of alphas, and not just ones he already knows. He has to be ready for that. Zar feels safe around me."

Linda stared at him for a long moment, finally nodding. "I can see that you care about him, and I know that he trusts you. But, Crowley, I care about that boy, too, and I do not want to see him hurt again."

"He won't be," Crowley growled. "I can promise you that."

Linda nodded and stepped aside, physically and metaphorically clearing the path for Crowley to follow Balthazar. "One more thing, before you go. My boys will be going into heat within a week, and Balthazar already offered to stay with them. I don't know how your courtship is going to interfere with that, but I'd like to let the boys know if plans have changed."

"I'm not courting him, Linda, no matter how much I wish I could. Politics are tricky like that. And even if I was, he's free to make his own choices."

Linda tilted her head. "I thought you would be more possessive."

Crowley frowned at her is disbelief, waving one hand in the direction of the throne room. "Did you miss all of that? I _am_ possessive, but Zar is not an object. He's a person who can make his own choices, even if my wolf wants nothing more than to hold him close and keep him safe from everything. Forever."

"Do you know what you're saying?" Linda had known Crowley her entire life, working as a special messenger to the coven before running away to become a spy. She had never seen him truly care about any one person other than his mother, but here he was, all but proclaiming his love for a young Celestial he had known for less than two months.

"Yeah, I do. And I wish I had the right to ask him. But I have to wait until he has an official pack and alpha."

"Well, if it means anything as his temporary mother, I approve."

Crowley chuckled and reached out to clap a hand on Linda's shoulder. "It does. Thank you."

* * *

Balthazar looked up as Crowley entered the room, curled against Kevin's side in a pile of ornate pillows as Alfie spooned him from behind. He still wasn't wearing any clothes, but he had wrapped himself in one of the warm blankets Crowley kept in the living area, more to satisfy a desire for protection than out of an actual need to keep warm. After the ordeal he had gone through, curling up with the two omegas was helping to ground him, though his wolf craved a different companionship. Crowley smiled as the omega whined, reaching out with one arm in supplication. "Tell me what you want, Zar."

"Can we all just rest together? I don't want them to leave, but I _need_ to be close to you right now." His blue eyes shone in the late afternoon light streaming through the window, some small amount of his old self returned.

"Yeah, that's fine. After we all eat something, since I know that Kevin and Alfie missed lunch worrying about you, we'll see about getting you to bed."

Kevin slipped out from under Balthazar, waiting for Crowley to take his position before settling in beside the head alpha, arm still curled around his friend's back. Crowley pulled Balthazar closer, the omega stretched half across his chest as their legs tangled, sighing in contentment as that hot pepper and wood smoke scent washed over him.

Linda found them like that thirty minutes later, Balthazar fast asleep with Alfie nearly there and Kevin whispering something to Crowley. The alpha nodded, offering a soft answer as both of them tried not to wake the Celestials. "Crowley, the food is here. I tested it all myself."

The alpha nodded gratefully, shaking Balthazar gently as he whispered his name. "Zar, you need to wake up. I know you haven't eaten all day; you must be starving."

Blue eyes shot open, a trace of fear darkening them before he realized where he was. Taking a deep breath, Balthazar pushed himself into a sitting position, stretching his arms as the servants placed a series of steaming platters on the low table nearby. He readjusted his blanket as he noticed the food, his stomach growling a command. "Yeah, starving."

"Well, boys, eat up! Don't wait on ceremony in my private suite."

The omegas headed over to the table, pulling up small seat cushions and distributing plates and bowls, Alfie ladling out soup for the group as Kevin poured them all wine. Linda and Crowley took their places at the table a few minutes later, both of them opting to skip the soup and pass around the fish course. This late in the winter, most of their fish came from frozen stores, so they had to eat lots of fat with it to prevent malnutrition. The cooks had prepared scalloped potatoes, beans, and winter greens, as well, a basket of hot rolls to the side with two jars of jam and one of the blackberry-grape jelly that Balthazar loved so much.

Balthazar ate much more than Crowley thought he would be able to manage, polishing off three rolls slathered in his favorite jelly, even having room for a slice of the walnut-chocolate cake the chefs had prepared for desert. He leaned against Crowley's side as soon as he was finished eating at last, contentment in his rosemary-mint scent. The food had just made him more tired, the events of the day still weighing on his mind even though his injuries had been healed.

Crowley wrapped one arm around Balthazar's back, slipping the other under his legs as he stood from the table, the omega's blanket forgotten in a pile on the floor. "I'm going to take him to bed, and I imagine that he will sleep through the night. You boys are welcome to join if you feel like you need to."

"We will later tonight, if that's alright," Alfie answered, staring at his wine glass. "I really need to go throw some knives for a while, work off this . . . I don't know. Anger isn't right. I'm so frustrated; I feel like I should have done something, even though I wasn't there."

"I know how you feel. The guards will let you in when you return. Linda, is that alright?"

"Of course. And I will sleep out here for as long as my boys are in there with you."

Crowley nodded. "Have my servants bring you anything you need. These large cushions are comfortable enough for young pups, but us mature wolves tend to need more specific bedding in our lives."

Linda grinned and nodded, polishing off her wine as she led her two sons to the door. "We'll be back tonight. Don't forget to call your mother and tell her what happened today."

Crowley grumbled something back, but he knew that he couldn't put the call off much longer. Balthazar was safe, but his brothers deserved to know what he had gone through that day, and he might need to speak with them. Accepting the inevitable, Crowley carried the half-asleep omega into his bedroom, settling him on the huge, king-sized bed and climbing in beside him, pulling a blanket up to cover them both. He felt the omega curl into his side, and he smiled as he wrapped one arm around the wiry man. Crowley promised himself that he would call his mother as soon as the omega woke.

* * *

Castiel had been uneasy since noon. His brothers could sense his distraction, could see when his wingbeats faltered, but they had no idea what was bothering him. When they reached the border with Spellbound land, two hours after Cas's first twinge of unease, the omega shifted back and sat beside the cairn, staring down the path his brother had taken almost two months earlier.

"There's something wrong."

"Yeah, we can tell," Gabriel replied, digging into their bag for fire supplies and clothes, already knowing that they would need to eat and rest before turning back toward Asa's city. "Aren't you cold, Cassie? Come put some clothes on."

The raven-haired omega nodded, clearing the snow off of a nearby log as he slipped into his pants, taking a seat before taking the heavy socks and moccasins his brother offered. He already missed the heavy boots he wore around Asa's city, knowing that they had packed lightly on purpose to avoid overloading the three omegas. Once he slipped into a heavy shirt and jacket, Gadreel had started a fire, heading down to the frozen river with a water skin and ice pick.

"I've never felt like this before," Cas continued. "It's like my wolf is calling me east, demanding that I head into Spellbound lands. I don't know why."

"Is Balthy in trouble? Your twin bond was always stronger than what Gad or I have with him."

"I don't know. Maybe. When I first felt this longing, it was much worse. Now it's calmed down slightly, but it's still there."

Gadreel returned a moment later, placing the water skin on a tripod near the fire to heat, nodding as Gabriel added the herbs to make tea and handed out their dried meat and fruit. "What do you want to do about it?"

"I don't know, Gabe. What can I do? We can't fly to Spellbound lands uninvited. Omegas or not, we would most likely be killed on sight. None of us have one of those convenient purple tattoos that the witches use to communicate, but the faster we head back, the sooner we can reach Tasha and ask her to call our brother."

"Well, we need to rest for at least thirty minutes," Gadreel replied, checking the tea as he took another piece of meat from the pack. "Then we will fly back as fast as we safely can."

"I'm sure Balthy is fine," Gabe soothed, patting Cas on the shoulder.

"I hope so," his youngest brother whispered, accepting a cup of tea as he stared into the fire.

* * *

" _Dean?"_

" _Cas! You're back almost two hours earlier than I expected."_

Cas stretched his wings out further, scanning the plain between the trees and the lake for a glimpse of his alpha. He caught a flash of movement, closing his wings and diving for the ground, sensing his brothers following him in.

Dean's tail was wagging wildly as he ran up to meet the black wolf, slowing down and tilting his head at the strange undertone in the honeysuckle-clover scent he loved so much. _"Cas, what's wrong? Something is bothering you."_

" _Yes, and I don't know what it is. I need to speak with Rowena or Tasha."_

" _Okay, let's head back. They should still both be awake."_

Dean led the three omegas back to the city, nodding at the guards watching the gate as they took the long road up to Asa's mini-palace. They didn't shift forms until they entered the huge home, the three omegas dressing quickly from their supply bag as Dean headed for his room and the clothes he had abandoned there.

"Gabe!" The blonde looked up as Sam dashed down the hall, jumping into the alpha's arms before he even came to a stop. "How was your mission?"

"Not bad," Gabe replied, his face buried in the crook of Sam's neck. "Something is bothering Cas, though, so we need to see Tasha."

"Sure, hun, no problem." Sam placed Gabriel back on the ground, looking up as his brother appeared behind Cas.

"Looks like we're ready to go. Sam, have you seen Tasha in the last hour?"

"Yeah, in her study." Sam turned to lead the way, glancing over his shoulder as Gadreel reached out and grabbed his sleeve.

"Where's Benny?"

"Sleeping. He has the midnight shift on the eastern watchtower tonight, and I have the one right after. He'll be glad to see you when he wakes, I'm sure."

They reached Tasha's study in silence, Sam knocking once before all five of them piled into the room. Rowena looked up from the ancient book on the table, purple eyes jumping from one wolf to the other as she tried to determine what was wrong. Tasha leaned back against the wall and sipped her tea, nudging Charlie with her knee when the younger witch didn't look away from her notes. "What's wrong?"

"Tasha, can you reach out to Balthy? I've been worried about him all afternoon."

"Yeah, sure." Tasha pulled her sleeve up and placed her fingers on the purple tattoo below her elbow, whispering the omega's name and waiting for a response. As soon as she tried his name a second time, Cas leaned against Dean's side and whined, knowing for sure that something was wrong with his brother.

The witch looked up at Cas, tilting her head in confusion. "I can't get through. He must have blocked the link for some reason."

"What reason?" Dean wrapped an arm around Cas's shoulders, trying to project an aura of calm toward the omega.

"There are a number of reasons," Tasha answered diplomatically, but it was clear from her frown that few of them were good.

"Let me try Fergus," Rowena offered, smiling gently at the Celestial. "I'm sure my son will know where your brother is." She touched her own tattoo, whispering the Head Alpha's name as her eyes glowed. She tried two more times before shaking her head. "He's blocking me, too, but I know that some members of my coven reached the city recently and one of them will answer."

Cas swallowed and nodded, his fingers clenched in Dean's jacket as he waited for an answer. Now that he was back in the city, the omega had donned his favorite robe, so he fiddled with the fringe on the edge with his free hand in the hopes that it would calm him.

"Donald? Yes, dear, it's me." Rowena wasn't bothering to whisper, knowing that the omegas needed to hear what was going on in her homeland. "Glad to hear you reached the city safely." She paused, eyes widening in shock at whatever this _Donald_ was telling her. "Really? In the middle of his throne room? Whatever for?" Rowena's eye narrowed in fury as purple lightning danced across her skin, the witch angrier than even her apprentices had ever seen. "That stupid, misbegotten . . . _Gerald_ attacked _Balthazar?_ "

"WHAT?!" Cas lunged forward, Dean grabbing him around the waist as he reached for Rowena, desperate to hear the conversation for himself. Fear for his brother overrode all sense of self-preservation, because no one in their right mind would want to touch an irate witch crackling with that much power.

Charlie spun to face Dean, emerald eyes flashing. "Get him out of here," she ordered, her tone dark and commanding. "Now!"

Dean tightened his hold around Cas's waist, dragging the howling omega out of the throne room. The Celestial was almost a match for his strength, digging his heels in and pulling back, eyes locked on Rowena as she listened to the story from her fellow witch. Desperate, Dean called on his alpha voice, hoping that Cas wouldn't be too angry later.

"Cas, stop fighting and let's go!"

The omega froze, unable to disobey a direct order, all resistance gone as he followed his partner into the hallway. Charlie glanced at Gabriel, who had gone white but otherwise didn't move, and Gadreel who was struggling to maintain his own composure. Satisfied that they would wait patiently to hear the outcome of Rowena's message, she turned her attention back to her mentor.

"But he's okay? Tasha tried to contact him but he's blocking her out." A pause, then Rowena nodded. "Fergus too? Yes, that makes sense. Go wake my child, would you, and tell him to contact me immediately."

Rowena released her tattoo, glancing toward the space that Cas and Dean had recently filled. "I sent them into the hall," Charlie answered. "Cas got a bit . . . irrational when you said his twin had been attacked."

Rowena raised her voice and called Cas back into the room, the omega silently following Dean as the alpha gestured for him to take a seat. Gabe, Sam, and Gadreel followed suit, Dean settling onto the cushion beside Cas before reaching out and cupping the omega's cheek in his hand. "Come back, Cas; everything is fine now."

The omega shook his head, clearing the last of the fog away as he turned sad eyes on the alpha. "Dean . . ."

"I had to, Cas. You were going to get hurt. Now that Rowena's done with her call, she can tell us what happened to Balthazar."

The witch cleared her throat, running her fingers over her communication tattoo as she waited for her son to reach out. "Your brother was attacked this afternoon by one of my son's guards. He beat him and chased him into the forest where Balthazar managed to escape." She watched as Cas whined and leaned against Dean's side for support, thankful that the omega wasn't hysterical anymore. "The guard returned to Fergus and lied about what happened, so my son forced the truth from him before ripping his throat out. With his teeth."

"Why?" Gabriel leaned forward, golden eyes intense as he ran through all of the possibilities in his head. When he reached the only logical conclusion, the omega whistled and leaned back, grabbing for the comfort of Sam's hand. "He isn't. He wouldn't. He has no interest in alphas."

"Well, apparently he does," Rowena answered smartly. "Not officially, of course. Balthazar doesn't have an alpha to represent him, and the courtship rules at Fergus's level are pretty strict. But, from what Donald told me, my son is unofficially courting your brother."

Dean barked out a laugh, too shocked to do anything else. "What? Balthazar and the Head Alpha of Spellbound pack? Your son has never shown any interest in mating, from all of the reports that I've seen. Why now?"

Rowena smiled and tilted her head. "The prophet told me that Balthazar was the one for him. Why do you think I sent him back with Ruby and Meg?"

"You knew, all along," Charlie whispered, her eyes glowing as she touched her growing bond with her unrisen prophet. "I can almost see it . . ."

"Yes," Rowena replied, cutting her apprentice off. "You see what I saw when I met that boy. And Fergus has grown quite fond of him. I've never seen anyone tear someone's throat out with their human teeth before, so he must have been furious. Don said that he took Linda off to the forest to track Balthazar down, returning a few hours later with your brother. He ordered the deaths of anyone who was involved in the situation and has Abaddon interviewing everyone in the palace with the assistance of my truthsayer. He wants to ensure that your brother is never in danger again."

"But he's okay, right?" Cas's soulful blue eyes caught Rowena's gaze, the omega begging for some sign that his brother was safe.

Rowena twitched as the mark on her arm glowed, touching it as she answered her son's call. "Fergus! So _good_ to hear from you." The "finally" was implied. "No, I called you earlier but you were blocking me out." She tilted her head, nodding once. "Yes, I understand. How is the poor boy? He's blocking Tasha out." The Wilderness witch rolled her eyes at the mention, but didn't speak. "His brother sensed something was wrong. He came in here, frantic, and asked us to reach out. I think they need to talk." Rowena furrowed her eyebrows, the only sign of her displeasure. "No, not in the morning. Now. This pup will go insane if he has to wait that long. Do you remember how to span a link or do I need to get Tasha on line?"

Clearly, Crowley did remember, Rowena waving Cas over to her side. The grateful omega touched his fingers beside hers on the glowing tattoo, closing his eyes as he listened for his brother's voice.

" _Cas?"_

"Balthy," Cas sobbed. "I've been so worried all afternoon. Are you okay?"

There was a long pause, and Balthazar's voice was softer, without that sarcastic bite that Cas had become accustomed to. There had been times when his command of the language of pure sarcasm could rival even Cas's, but today that edge was gone. _"I was terrified, Cas. He said that he was going to kill me and that Crowley wouldn't care. I ran."_

"Rowena told us . . . about you and Crowley. She said that she knew when she met you."

Balthazar chuckled. _"I can believe that. She didn't tell Crowley, though, so I think that our bond was as much of a surprise for him as it was for me."_ He paused for a moment, and Cas felt the ghost of a hand cup his cheek. _"Don't worry about me, baby bro. Crowley killed the alpha who attacked me, he searched for me, and he brought me home. He's taking care of me."_

"Are you coming back?"

" _Of course. Rowena must have known what she was doing when she limited my time here. I don't want to leave Crowley, but I want to see you again. But, once we have an official alpha again, I'm going to ask him to court me."_

Cas smiled, sensing Dean move to stand behind him and rest a hand on his shoulder. "I didn't think you liked alphas at all, Balthy. You aren't one to submit."

" _What, and you are?"_ Cas blushed, and Balthazar chuckled, sensing his brother's discomfort across the link. _"I never thought I would be,"_ he admitted. _"This kinda snuck up on me. And have you ever let an alpha dominate you? That omega space thing is better than they say."_

Cas blushed and ducked his head, almost breaking the link as Rowena chuckled. Dean rubbed his back in gentle, soothing circles, letting the omega know that he didn't have anything to be embarrassed about. Taking a deep breath, Cas returned to the link. "Actually, I have recently had the occasion to try that. I, uh, agree with you."

" _Damn, bro. You? The great general? The omega who would be alpha?"_

Cas shook his head. "No, I don't want that. I just wanted to protect you."

" _I know. I want you to be protected, too, Cas. Will you let Dean protect you?"_

"Yeah."

" _And I think I might let Crowley protect me. For now, and later. I'm going to ask him to court me, as soon as I legally can."_

"Yeah, that's good. I'm happy for you."

Balthazar's smile flashed across the link. _"I know you are. I didn't come here looking for a mate, you know. But I'm glad I came. I'll be okay, I promise. And I'll see you in a few weeks."_

"See you then." Cas pulled his hand back, breaking the link as he leaned back against Dean's chest. "He's okay. Crowley is taking care of him."

Dean wrapped his arms around the omega's waist, holding him close and kissing his neck. "Of course he is. You've had a long day, sweetheart; ready for bed?"

"Yeah."

Dean and Sam led the three omegas out, Gadreel heading for the room he had recently begun to share with Benny in the hopes that he could have a few minutes with the beta before his watch began. As soon as they were gone, the two younger witches turned to Rowena was identical glares of disbelief. "Why didn't you tell us the real reason you sent Balthazar to Spellbound lands?" Tasha demanded, arms crossed over her chest.

"I couldn't. This future is delicate, and I am losing my link to my prophet by the day. Soon, I won't be able to see anything anymore, and I had to do what I thought was necessary to ensure that these omegas do not break."

Tasha nodded, having been filled in on the rising prophet situation, but Charlie snorted and leaned on the table. "Two of them already have," she argued. "Gabriel when we first arrived and Balthazar today. Who will be next? Which omega are we going to have to put back together tomorrow? Rowena, they won't survive."

"They have so far," she argued, reaching out to grab their hands so she could _show_ them what she had seen in her son's mind. "Yes, Gabriel broke, but we healed him and Sam put him back together. Today, Balthazar broke, but Fergus's affection for the pup was enough to find him, break him free of his terror, and bring him back. He will heal, with the help of my son and his temporary family. Don't you understand; when I said that the prophecy is the same for paths two and three until the end, I meant that they must each survive path two in order to reach path three. They will _all_ break, and they must be healed by the people who love them. That is what will repair this tired, shattered kingdom. I can't tell them that, because it would terrify them, but all I see in their future is more pain. I can't see the end of the road; I just know that it _can_ be good if we are determined to save them."

"Rowena," Charlie whispered, "I don't want this. I don't want to have to watch them suffer in the hopes that there is happiness in store. I don't want to have to see their pain before it happens and point them toward it anyway. I don't want to be the speaker."

"Neither did I," Rowena replied, tears in her purple eyes. "It is a terrible burden, but without a prophet and a speaker, all four of those omegas will die, and their future mates soon after. You have to walk this path, no matter how much it hurts, because I cannot stand even the thought of burying my son, let alone the reality. I cannot bear to lose this extended family that we have begun to build here. I want the war to end. I want there to be peace, true peace, that will not be broken by narcissism and bigotry and pride. I want my five hundred years of patience and suffering to have _meant_ _something_."

Charlie tightened her grip on Rowena's hand, tears streaking her cheeks in response to her mentor's pain. "It will, I promise you. I will carry this burden, and I will see us through to that bright future that you have led us toward for so long. I promise."

"Thank you."


	9. Risen

Chapter 9: Risen

* * *

"Morning, darling."

Balthazar groaned and opened his eyes, glancing out the window at the dim pre-dawn light, nuzzling closer to his alpha and digging his fingers into the blanket. "I liked it better when I got to sleep in," he groused.

"No you didn't," Crowley argued. "You're getting spoiled, being the pampered omega of a Head Alpha. I know you like it."

"I do, a bit," Balthazar admitted. "But I'd like to sleep in, once in a while."

"I know. This is a busy time of the year, though, even without interviewing the entire staff and half the townsfolk. We're going into planting season soon, and I have a lot of responsibilities."

The omega sighed, admitting defeat. "Trust me, Crowley, I want to learn this stuff. But you really need to take a day for yourself once in a while."

Crowley ran his fingers through Balthazar's hair, smiling at the blue-eyed omega. Alfie whined in his sleep on one side of the blonde, wrapping his arms tighter around Balthazar's waist as he settled down. Kevin rolled onto his back, dark eyes slowly opening as he stretched, his brother grunting his objecting to being shoved. The two younger omegas had slept in Crowley's bed with Balthazar for the past three nights, unwilling to leave him alone until they were sure that he was better. Crowley had been more than welcoming, happy to put up with any invasion of his personal space if it meant that his omega was content.

"Why are we awake right now?"

"Sorry, Kevin; you're the one who chose to sleep in the Head Alpha's bed. It's time to get to work. I have an early meeting with Donald and Maggie about the Equinox; are you coming?"

Kevin grumbled something unkind, slowly pushing himself into a sitting position. "Yeah, I will. Alfie, too, I'm sure. Do you have court this afternoon?"

"Yep. But it's going to be a short session."

"So, can we take Balthy for weapons practice afterwards?"

"Absolutely." Crowley gently pushed his grumpy, clingy omega over to the other side of the bed, slipping out from under the blankets and heading for his closet. "Along with a dozen of my most loyal guards. And probably Ruby."

Kevin rolled his eyes as he headed for his own clothes, punching Alfie as he passed by. "This overprotective streak of yours is getting really inconvenient, Crowley. How are we supposed to train Balthy to fight with so many people around all the time?"

Crowley glanced over his shoulder, his shirt in one hand as he watched Balthazar leave the bed and start searching for his own clothes. He knew that he was being a bit overbearing, but the thought of anything happening to his omega again tore at him every time the blonde was out of his sight. "Ruby and Meg, then."

Alfie let out a low whistle, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes as he poked Balthazar in the side. "The Head Alpha of Spellbound, compromising? Relenting? Balthy, you've been a pretty good influence on him."

"He's been a pretty good influence on me," the blonde replied, finding a dark red shirt with gold embroidery and slipping it on. "Ruby and Meg will be fine. Thank you."

As soon as the three omegas were dressed, Crowley led them out of the bedroom, smiling at Linda who was already awake and eating breakfast. "The boys have weapons practice this afternoon, Linda; Ruby and Meg will be joining them."

The beta nodded and sipped at her tea. "Sounds good. I assume you and Balthazar will be in meetings until then?"

"Of course. Your boys are welcome to join, of course. I'll see you at lunch." Alfie and Kevin joined their mother at the table, digging into the food with more enthusiasm than normal. Crowley led Balthazar to his private study where they would share breakfast with his first meeting of the day, as usual.

"They're going into heat," the alpha commented as soon as they were settled, pouring the omega a cup of his favorite tea.

"When?"

"Tomorrow night, I think. The scent isn't there yet, but increased appetite is a big sign. They can stay tonight, but they'll need to return to their own wing the night after. Linda mentioned that you had planned to spend their heat with them. Is that still true?"

Balthazar shrugged. "I still want to. After everything they've done to make me feel welcome here, it's the least I can do. I don't want to leave you, though. We don't have a lot of time left."

Crowley reached over and squeezed his hand. "I know. Trust me, I'm dreading the coming of spring. You won't be confined to their rooms since you won't be in heat; I'm sure we can find some time for a visit." He looked up as the guards admitted the Starks, a servant on their heels with breakfast. Alfie and Kevin entered just behind them, each still carrying a cup of tea as they settled onto their customary cushions along the wall. They had actually begun to enjoy learning the back end processes of running the pack, though neither of them had any interest in mating a Head Alpha and having to put everything they were learning into practice.

"Good morning Crowley, Balthazar. Boys."

"Donald, Maggie," the alpha returned. "I hope you have a good reason for requesting this meeting. Zar was just telling me this morning how he wished we could sleep in once in a while."

Donald chuckled as he reached for a biscuit. "You know we wouldn't interrupt your rest without good reason, Crowley. Tell me, when does Rowena plan to return?"

"Mother said that she would be at the Wilderness border on the Equinox."

"That's at least three days' run away," Maggie mused. "She won't be back in time."

Donald shook his head. "No. I suppose we have a couple of options."

Crowley sighed as he realized why the witches had summoned him, barely ten days from the Equinox. "She won't be here to lead the ceremony. Where's Olivette?"

"Also not here," Maggie replied. "She may be second in the Coven, but she and Rowena rarely get along. She stayed in the south with our new recruits and will be leading her own ceremony there. Clea won't do it, and I'm rusty."

"So, your options are to move the ceremony to the Wilderness border or find another leader."

"Exactly, Crowley. And, to be honest, we don't have enough time to set up the ceremony somewhere else. We've been running it in that clearing north of town for two hundred years, and none of us are keen to go anywhere else."

Crowley raised one eyebrow and tilted his head. "What am I supposed to do? I don't know anyone else who can run this ceremony for you; all of the other witches in town are too young or not trained in this."

"Except you," Donald replied slyly, grinning over his tea. "You're not a full witch, but you do have some impressive powers for a latent, and your mother taught you every ceremony she knew. Every spell, too, even the ones you can't do."

"There is a separation of Coven and Pack," Crowley pointed out, poking at his eggs absent-mindedly. Most of the palace chickens wouldn't lay in the winter, but all eggs that they did manage were offered to Crowley to be parceled out as favors for his guests or the other nobles. There were some perks to almost-dating the Head Alpha that Balthazar enjoyed, and fresh eggs was at the top of that list. "Mother put that rule in place for a reason."

"We're not asking you as a member of the Coven, Fergus," Maggie replied, raising one finger to forestall any arguments at the use of his birth name. "You renounced the Coven when you took your new name and claimed leadership of this pack. We're asking you, _Crowley_ , as the Head Alpha of Spellbound Pack, to join us in one of our most important rituals of the year. The crops and livestock must be blessed; the omegas going into heat need to know that their fertility will be ensured. This ritual is important."

Crowley sighed and ran his hands through his hair. "I think it's a bad idea, but I will do it if there is truly no one else who can lead you. I do know how important this is."

"Great!" Donald reached into his jacket, pulling out a small leather-bound journal and placing it on the table. "Let's go over our plans, shall we?"

* * *

"This is a lot more planning than I thought it would be," Kevin murmured, reaching over his shoulder to scratch his back. "How many omegas are you going to have there?"

Donald shrugged. "We need at least one for every witch, but we accept everyone who wants to come. The wolves inside the circle help power the fertility part of the ritual, so they have to be omegas, but there are even female betas who will come every year for a blessing. Usually we have Charlie with Rowena, but we'll need someone to stand on the inside of the circle in her place. I would suggest Balthazar, but he will be gone by then."

Kevin glanced up and caught his friend's pale blue eyes. "If Balthy doesn't mind, I'll stand in for him. I've always kinda wanted to see one of these rituals."

"Sure, absolutely. Alfie, do you want a spot?"

"Oh, yeah, that would be awesome."

Balthazar pointed at the fourth position in the circle, the place where Maggie traditionally stood. "Maggie, the omega who stood with you last year is pregnant and won't be attending, correct? Do you mind taking Samandriel?"

"That would be great. We need a couple of younger omegas to lend energy for the ritual. Some of our omega coven members aren't comfortable on the outer ring so they stand inside, but they aren't exactly young anymore. Charisse stood as my omega last year, but she will be in position eight this year as a witch."

Crowley nodded, touching the eleventh and twelfth spots. "Abaddon and Ruby will join this year and take these two empty spots. I can teach them their part of the ritual quickly enough, and both have enough latent power to be useful. With ten full-blood natural witches, that should work just fine."

"Perfect. Let me show you the wording we've worked out for this year's blessing."

A quick knock on the door interrupted the meeting, a servant peeking her head in. "Sir? You are expected in the throne room."

"Damn," Crowley growled. "I really need to finish this."

Balthazar tilted his head, clearly thinking about something, shrugging his shoulders as he came to a decision. "I could go for you."

The alpha looked up in shock, glancing at the other two omegas to determine if this was some sort of a joke, but the Celestial was clearly serious. "Truly?"

"Why not? You've designated Abaddon and Ruby to speak in your name, and I know that all packs, large and small, have laws that allow for an omega to speak in an alpha's place if he has permission. I've been watching you for days, and helping you with your administrative duties for longer. I'm a quick study, and I know that your meetings today aren't that major."

Kevin cleared his throat. "Balthy, you'd basically be declaring yourself as _his_ omega."

"No, I'm pretty sure _he_ did that when he ripped Gerald's throat out."

Donald chuckled, running his hands through his hair. "He's not wrong. The court is under no illusions about Balthazar's place here. I've never seen someone seated next to the alpha's chair, in any court, before they were mated."

The omega turned his cornflower blue eyes toward Crowley, smiling softly. "I can do this. I _want_ to do this. I'm not afraid."

The Head Alpha smiled and reached out to cup Balthazar's cheek in his hand. "Alright, you can do it, but with one condition. I want you to have a communications tattoo so you can reach out to me if you have any problems."

"I'm surprised you didn't slap one on me the minute you got me back to the palace."

Crowley shrugged and smiled gently at the omega. "Trust me, I wanted to, but I didn't want to force anything on you. The tattoos are really hard to remove, so I wanted to know for sure that you wanted to be mine before I marked you permanently."

Balthazar blushed as he caught the double meaning of Crowley's words, ducking his head as he held out his left arm. "Trust me, I'm yours. And I'm not going anywhere unless your mother orders me to. She kinda scares me."

"You and me both," Donald and Crowley replied at the same time, the alphas chuckling at each other as the half-witch pushed Balthazar's loose sleeve up to expose his inner elbow.

"You ready?" Balthazar nodded, watching as Crowley laid his fingers over Tasha's mark, a glow of purple magic engulfing the sun-encircled stylized pentagram. New runes appeared in the empty spaces between the points of the star, the strange symbols somehow merging with his existing communications tattoo. When Crowley pulled his hand away, Balthazar stared at the new mark in shock.

"You merged them?"

Crowley rolled up his sleeve and showed Balthazar his own communications tattoo. It was a simple pentagram inside a circle, with a thin rune inside each empty space between the points. "I thought they might work well together."

Balthazar placed the fingers of his right hand over his improved tattoo, whispering Crowley's name and watching as the alpha's tattoo began to glow. "Well, it works. I'm off."

Balthazar stood up from his cushion, Alfie joining him as he left the room. Two guards met them, leading them to the throne room without asking any questions, for which the omegas were incredibly grateful. Crowley's personal servants were very attentive, almost to the point of being nosy, but they were able to anticipate the alpha's orders without him having to give them. The servant who had called Crowley to the throne room had ordered the guards to escort and protect Balthazar as soon as he realized that the omega would be taking the alpha's place. The servant himself, a young beta named Mark, walked just behind Balthazar to his left, the same position he took with Crowley.

They reached the throne room a moment later, Mark stepping in front of Balthazar and giving him a once-over. The omega was suddenly glad that he had picked one of his fancier shirts that morning. Mark reached out and tilted Balthazar's head up, indicating that he should stand up straighter and puff out his chest. "Remember, be confident," Mark murmured. "You're not just some omega entering the throne room; you are The Omega, Crowley's chosen, and they are your subjects, too. Command them."

The omega nodded as the guards opened the doors, striding into the huge throne room with his head held high as he ignored all of the glances thrown his way. They were used to him entering with Crowley after the Gerald Incident, but seeing him alone was certainly a shock. Abaddon, who had been running court all morning, glanced up from her lower throne where she retreated when Crowley was expected to arrive, smiling as she stood and offered an alpha's bow.

"Greetings, Balthazar. I'll assume that Crowley has appointed you to sit court in his place."

"Yes, he did. He's deep in plans for the Spring Equinox and sends his regrets that he cannot be here with you today." He climbed the few stairs to Crowley's huge throne, swallowing that tiny shiver of trepidation as he settled into the soft velvet and gazed out across the court. Alfie took Balthazar's customary chair next to the throne, knowing that his friend would need his support.

One of the lesser nobles, a half-witch from the largest southern farming community, stepped forward, bowing toward the throne before speaking. "With all due respect, we were promised an audience with Crowley, not an omega he isn't even courting."

Balthazar felt the chill that spread through the court at the farmer's words, inwardly moved by the support he could sense from the courtiers and city nobles. Abaddon moved to answer, or possibly attack, but Balthazar raised one hand and stilled her. That, more than her greeting to the omega when he entered the throne room, startled the farmer and other visiting dignitaries and supplicants. Abaddon did not back down to _anyone_ except Crowley.

Balthazar leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and holding his hands loosely in front of him, the gesture calculated and nonchalant. He waited a full minute before answering, his blue eyes darkening as they gripped the farmer's gaze. When he finally did speak, his tone was haughty and cold, a far cry from the omega that the court had come to appreciate. "You know, I don't think I caught your name." The farmer opened his mouth to speak, but Balthazar made a slicing motion with one hand, demanding silence. "I don't actually care. No one in this court has any doubts as to my position here, and none of them would be so stupid as to question my alpha's decisions." Crowley had all but claimed him in front of the court a few days earlier, but this was the first time that Balthazar had publically returned the possessiveness.

"Crowley isn't officially courting me for political reasons, as anyone with a brain would know. He hasn't had the opportunity to send an envoy to my alpha, not in the middle of winter. But if you dare think for a moment that I am not his, you had better leave this court right now and never return. He tore out the throat of the last alpha to make that mistake."

Balthazar's aggressive, assertive tone startled even Abaddon, the alpha staring up at him with pride and not a little awe. It was clear that spending so much time with Crowley was rubbing off on the young Celestial. The farmer, sensing that the entire court agreed with Balthazar and had become openly hostile, dropped to his knees and bowed his head, arms crossed over his chest in an alpha's bow. "Forgive my momentary lapse of judgement, Omega. I ask that you allow my suit to be heard today, despite my rudeness."

"I will allow it, but you will be last. Pray that I have time for you."

The farmer accepted the decree in silence, keeping his head bowed as he quickly returned to his delegation. Abaddon glanced at her list and called the next name on it, skipping over the farmer and making a note to call him at the end. Alfie leaned over to whisper in Balthazar's ear, a smile on his face. "That was awesome. The other villages will hear of this, of the omega who speaks in Crowley's name and practically in his voice. You two were made for each other."

The taller omega chuckled, patting his friend's arm. "I'm starting to believe that, myself."

* * *

Dean tested the weight of his wooden dagger, spinning it a couple of times in his hand to get used to the heft and balance. He and Sam had spent a couple of days making wooden replicas of a dozen different types of swords, daggers, and maces, hoping to get the omegas trained in close combat before the end of the winter. The snow was already retreating, the lake ice too thin to walk on anymore as the first of the spring birds returned. They didn't have much time left.

The dagger in his hand was modeled after the Celestial's short blades, normally forged from a special alloy created from metal that could only be mined in their mountains. The one in his hand was made of wood, but they had tightened a steel band around the upper edge of the hilt to get the balance perfect. Castiel called the weapon an _angel blade_ , named after the brilliant pale color of the steel mixture it was forged from, the longer ones called _angel swords_. Dean had also carved some of the blades carried by Spellbound witches, the long, slender swords used by his own pack, and the heavy broadswords that his ancestors had once wielded. They would start their practice with the angel blades, since Cas and his brothers had used those before, eventually moving onto the other weapons until they had to leave for his home.

Truth be told, Dean was dreading returning home. He loved his family, but the city sometimes felt like a prison. He loved being out in the wild, even in Asa's small town, and he worried that the closeness his pack and the Celestials had gained over the past couple months would suffer once they had to deal with Wilderness wolves in the main city.

"Are you ready, Dean?"

Cas's bright azure eyes caught Dean's thoughtful dark jade across the empty field, the omega spinning a wooden blade in his own hand. Sam and Gabriel stood beside Cas, Benny and Jo with Dean, while Gadreel had opted to act as referee for this round. He would switch with Jo when they tried out the angel swords, then Jo would relieve Sam when they switch to the maces and double swords. Rowena and Charlie sat with Tasha and Max near a campfire outside of the official ring, teaching the Wildernesses a type of magic that the older witch called "weaving" that Dean did not understand at all. They were also there to heal any minor injuries obtained during the practice.

"Yeah, let's get started."

Cas moved forward instantly, flipping his blade down as he ducked under Dean's arm, landing a punch on the alpha's side before slipping away. The omega hadn't used anywhere close to his full strength for the strike, but Dean caught the message. He pulled his entire focus to the fight, slashing up at his own brother and grabbing Gabriel's wrist as the pair attacked together. Cas's blade met Benny's on his left, Jo crouching down and sweeping one leg toward Sam's feet. The taller alpha jumped back, his free hand jerking Gabe along with him as Dean moved to press his team's advantage. He froze as he sensed someone behind him, ducking what could have been a very uncomfortable wooden weapon neck-stab from his boyfriend, reaching around and behind himself to grab Cas's leg and pull it forward. The omega surprised him, letting himself be pulled to the ground, using the new position to hook his free ankle around Dean's overextended leg and jerk him down, too.

Dean grunted as he realized his mistake, raising his blade to block Cas as the omega landed on top of him. He realized with a shock that Cas was his size, just as broad-shouldered and well-muscled as the big alpha now that he wasn't half-starved to death. Dean placed his free hand against Cas's chest and tried to push him off, eyes still on their blades locked inches from his face, but the omega wouldn't budge. Switching tactics, Dean redirected their locked blades to the side of his head, swinging his trapped elbow up into the side of Cas's face. The blow was glancing, but it was enough to knock his opponent off-balance, and he was able to use one knee to dislodge Cas before rolling away.

The omega jumped back to his feet, half-crouched with his hands held in front of him, blade forward and cobalt eyes intense. They weren't boyfriends right now; they were two warriors from opposite sides of the border, and Cas was _so into_ this fight that Dean was finally able to lose himself in their dance. His eyes flashed as he growled, moving to close with the dark-haired Celestial as their blades met again, neither of them able to gain an advantage over the other. Dean saw a flicker in the blue eyes locked with his, and it was enough of a warning for him to spin away and duck.

Sam grunted as his blow missed and he overbalanced, Dean taking the opportunity to slam the fist wrapped around his blade into his brother's stomach. Sam groaned and dropped to his knees, Cas moving to defend him and push Dean back. Benny and Jo appeared on either side of the omega, Gabriel body-slamming the blonde woman as Cas turned on the burly beta and _jumped_ , kicking out with both feet as he came down. Benny grunted as the impact threw him to the ground, and Dean shook his head in amazement. Where the hell had Cas learned _that_ move?

He didn't have any more time to consider the omega's fighting prowess as Sam charged toward him, forcing him away from the tight knot of combatants. Cas's kick had ended with him on the ground, but Benny was in no position to take advantage of that fact. The impact with the dirt had been enough to knock the breath out of him, and it took him an agonizing couple of minutes to convince his body that he could, in fact, still control his lungs. Cas regained his footing first, turning toward the skirmish between Gabriel and Jo, ignoring the semi-incapacitated beta.

Jo rolled away from Gabriel as he sliced forward with his blade, both blondes snapping their teeth in the same aggressive gesture they would use as wolves as they grabbed for each other. Gabriel wrapped his arm around Jo's waist, pinning her dagger arm behind her back as he raised his dagger to her throat, her free hand tightening around his wrist. He pressed forward, fighting against the pain she was causing him, grinning as the side of his triple-edged blade came to a rest against the side of her neck. "Jo is dead," Gadreel called, all combatants freezing in position as Gabriel released Jo and exchanged a bow with her, accepting her blade.

As soon as Jo was seated beside the group of witches, Gadreel called for combat to resume. Armed with two angel blades, Gabriel turned toward Cas and nodded toward Dean, both of them rushing off to join their teammate.

Dean sensed the tactic instantly, rolling to the left to escape his brother as he dashed to Benny's side and pulled the beta to his feet. The two of them faced the taller alpha and two omegas, not a sound passing between any of the wolves as they split again. Benny faced Sam, pulling him away from the other three, as Dean took on the two omegas.

Gabriel rushed Dean almost at once, the alpha catching both angel blades with his as he grabbed the omega's throat with his free hand. Gabriel's golden eyes narrowed as he tried to break the blade lock, but Dean managed to spin him around and moved his hand to wrap around both wrists, holding them to the side as he pulled the omega back against his chest. Flipping his blade toward himself, he pressed it against the omega's heart.

"Gabriel is dead."

The blonde omega left the field, offering one of his blades to Dean and dropping the other on the ground between him and Cas. The blue-eyed omega grinned as he assumed his defensive stance again, clearly enjoying the fight more than he thought he would. They both lost track of their fellow combatants the two rushed each other again, Cas leaning down to scoop up his defeated brother's weapon just before their blades met.

Sam had fought Benny before, learning to never underestimate the older wolf. The alpha had the advantage of a greater reach and alpha strength, but the beta was wily and had survived many more decades of vicious fighting both in his home land and along the Wilderness border. When they met, it was with fists and growls, blades contacting but not hitting any of the major organs that would immediately remove them from the contest. Their skirmish moved further away from Dean and Cas as they each struggled to gain an advantage.

Sam, slightly frustrated, planted his feet and hauled back, aiming a vicious punch at Benny's head, shocked when the beta somehow caught the swing, engulfing the alpha's fist in his larger hand. Finally finding an opening, Sam twisted his other wrist and rested the tip of his wooden dagger against Benny's heart. "I win," he growled.

"Depends on how much you want pups," Benny returned, glancing down significantly. Sam's eyes widened as he registered the blade resting on his groin in a position that would be inches from castrating him if it was forged from metal instead of carved from an oak branch.

"I'm calling this one a draw," Gadreel grinned, "especially since I know that my twin greatly desires pups out of this moose."

Sam chuckled and stepped back, not even bothering to hide his blush. "Good move, Benny."

"You, too." The beta nodded toward the two remaining combatants, watching them rush each other and break apart again without either gaining an appreciable advantage. Gadreel moved back to referee the pair as Benny and Sam joined the spectators outside of the circle, confident that their pack mates would be done soon.

They couldn't have been more wrong.

Dean closed with Cas twice, blades clashing as they pushed against each other, both of them growling as they failed to gain any advantage. When the rushed each other a third time, Cas shifted to the side at the last moment, releasing his blades in favor of grabbing Dean's wrists and twisting them, forcing him to drop his own weapons. Now that both of them were disarmed, Cas punched the alpha, Dean grunting as he grabbed Cas's arm and threw him over his shoulder, rolling away before the omega could jump back to his feet. Panting, Cas grabbed his two blades and backed away, Dean retrieving his own weapons and following.

Ten minutes later, Sam joined Gadreel in the center of the field, hazel eyes following his brother. "Dude, you have to call it. Neither one of them can win. They're just going to get tired."

"I agree. Dean, Cas; the fight's over!"

Dean responded first, relaxing his stance as his green eyes cleared. He held his blades tightly until he saw the bloodlust fade out of Cas's bright blue eyes, the Celestial lowering his weapons. "But we aren't done."

Sam sighed. "Cas, you won't ever be done. You're too evenly matched, and neither one of you will ever yield. I don't really feel like watching you fight each other to exhaustion, especially when we have other weapons to work with today." He nodded toward the witches and the clear area around the fire at their feet. "Come have something to drink."

Dean smiled at the raven-haired omega, clapping him on the shoulder as they headed for the camp together. "Cas, that was pretty amazing. I can see why they made you their general."

"Thank you, Dean, but I'm sure that most of that was from your training over the past few weeks. I definitely like using these blades more than any of the ranged weapons we tried. I definitely want to get a real one for myself."

Dean chuckled as they both settled near the fire, accepting the water and tea that Sam passed him. "Sure, Cas; we'll just march up to Michael and ask him for one."

The omega huffed grumpily. "I wouldn't have to go that far north. They use the blades in the southern pack, too, you know."

"Oh geez."

Sam grinned, running his fingers through Gabriel's hair absentmindedly. "You shouldn't have said anything, Dean. Now he wants a present."

Cas turned to Dean and took his hands, earnest blue eyes boring into startled green. "No, Dean, I don't want anything. This, everything you've already given me, this is enough."

The witches cooed at the pair as Dean leaned forward and rested his forehead on the omega's, pulling him into his arms. "That is the most adorable thing I have ever seen," Rowena purred.

Sam cleared his throat and glanced around the group. "Dean and Cas are not allowed to be on opposite teams anymore. Also, they need to sit this round out so the rest of us can get some practice in."

Jo chuckled. "I agree. We'll have to redo the teams for swords, so Sam and Gabriel against me and Gadreel with Benny as referee."

"Perfect, let's go."

They spent the rest of the day practicing with all of the prop weapons they had made, switching to real swords in the afternoon in much more carefully-controlled drills. Despite Sam's words, Dean and Cas did end up on opposite teams during the last fight of the morning. Dean and Sam took on Jo, Benny, and all three omegas, and the fight still ended with everyone "dead" and Dean and Cas in a stalemate. Sam shook his head at the outcome, leading the group back to the fire for lunch before starting the live weapon practice. If nothing else, they were all exhausted by the end of the day.

* * *

Crowley strode into the throne room with Kevin just behind him, the two witches trailing at the end of the group. He entered the huge chamber and glanced around at the courtiers still present, shocked to see that the room was relatively full of nobles, though the petitioners looked to be all gone. Abaddon looked up from the papers in her hand, nodding toward Crowley to get Ruby's attention. The two half-witches bowed toward their High Alpha, the muted conversations in the hall slowly fading as Balthazar descended the steps to the floor. Alfie joined his brother behind Crowley as Balthazar bowed, arms crossed over his chest.

Crowley reached out and cupped a hand under Balthazar's chin, tilting his head up until their eyes met. "You don't bow to me, Zar. Not ever."

The omega smiled and stepped forward, burying his nose in the alpha's neck and inhaling his familiar scent. "How was your meeting?"

"Good. How was court?" Crowley wrapped an arm around Balthazar and led him back to the throne, helping the omega settle into his customary chair before the alpha took his throne.

"Not bad," Balthazar answered. "It was a little rocky at the beginning, but I settled the problem and we didn't have any more issues."

"What do you mean, 'rocky'?"

Abaddon chuckled from her throne. "You'd have been proud of him, Crowley. Balthazar tore into one of your less useful nobles, put him in his place. He's rightly terrified of the boy now."

Crowley sat up straighter in his chair, puffing out his chest with pride. "Good, glad to hear it. Do we have any more petitioners today?"

"No, Balthazar has seen them all. We do have my afternoon roster, since you won't be holding court tomorrow, if you'd like."

"Yes, that will be fine. I'll see anyone you can fit in before lunch, then you and Ruby will join the boys for their weapons practice this afternoon." He turned toward Balthazar, patting his arm conspiratorially. "Abby here is the best sword master in Spellbound pack. You'll learn a lot from her, I guarantee it."

The redheaded alpha rolled her eyes. "I do wish you wouldn't call me that, Crowley."

"I know. Also, you and Ruby will be taking positions in the Circle for the Equinox. We're a bit short on witches this year in general, and Mother won't be back in time."

Abaddon and Ruby nodded, knowing that they would have to study the ritual with Donald and Maggie in preparation for the ceremony. "Will you start seeing omegas who have requests?"

"Naturally," Crowley purred. "We have the inner circle taken care of, but there is no limit to the number of omegas and female betas who can attend. We'll take requests up to the day before the ceremony, but the cutoff will be noon that day. Now, who is our first petitioner?"

Abaddon bowed her head and gestured for a servant to admit the first guest, Balthazar leaning over to whisper in Crowley's ear while they waited. "What does she mean, you aren't holding court tomorrow?"

"I contacted her after you left and told her to clear my calendar for tomorrow. I'm taking the day off, like you suggested." He smirked as the omega's eyes widened, patting the Celestial's arm. "Don't act so surprised. I _do_ listen to you, from time to time. Besides, it's the last day I can see you for a while with the boys going into heat, so it makes sense."

Balthazar kissed the side of Crowley's neck before returning to his own seat. "Thank you."

* * *

Balthazar slipped into the loose, knee-length shirt he enjoyed sleeping in, watching as Kevin and Alfie also dressed for bed. Crowley was finishing up a late meeting with Abaddon, something about fishing rights in the south, but he would be in soon. Kevin sighed as he reached over his shoulder, trying to scratch at something on his back.

"What's wrong?"

"I don't know. My back has been itching since this morning. I think I must have gotten bitten by something when we were out practicing weapons yesterday."

Alfie grinned, reaching over to scratch where Kevin couldn't reach. "You have reactions to the strangest things; you know that? Shouldn't you be immune to all of this, growing up in the wild? What would Mother say if she saw you right now?"

Kevin rolled his eyes and stretched out on the huge bed. "She'd tell me that scratching only makes it worse, for one. Then she'd tell me that wolves who live in the wild should learn to be at one with nature." He glanced up at Balthazar, tilting his head at the distant look in the taller omega's pale blue eyes. "What is it, Balthy?"

"Uh, it's nothing. I just . . . it's nothing." He climbed into bed beside Kevin, waiting for Alfie to curl up on his other side before reaching over and snuffing the lamp. Something bothered him about the way Kevin was scratching at his back, but he was sure that the omega was right. He was just having a reaction to a bug bite from the woods.

-hr-

"What's bothering you, Charlie? You've been on edge all day."

The redhead snorted and poked at her roll with a knife, trying to decide if she was still hungry or just bored. "You were training all day; how did you notice?"

"I make it a point to notice you." Jo smiled gently, ducking her head so their eyes could meet. "Is it a witch thing, or something you can tell me?"

"It's kind of a witch thing, but I think I can tell you. Everyone is going to know soon enough." She dropped her knife and stared out the window of her guest room, watching as the stars twinkled into existence, one by one. "A new prophet is rising."

"When?"

"I don't know. Very soon. Tomorrow, maybe the day after. I'm scared of it." Charlie turned away from the window and returned her gaze to her abandoned meal.

Jo reached out and squeezed Charlie's arm, offering whatever support she could. "Why are you scared? Rowena said that there hasn't been a prophet in five hundred years."

"Yes, because we didn't need one. The echoes she could see from her bond were enough to lead us these past five centuries. Now they aren't, and a new prophet is needed. With a new prophet comes a new speaker, a witch who will bond with him or her and translate their visions. That person will guide and influence the people of all three lands to lead us to the reunited kingdom that Rowena dreams about. Presumably."

"The speaker isn't Rowena?"

"No, a witch can only bond with one prophet in her lifetime. It's supposed to be incredibly intense, a connection almost as deep as a mating bond. I've been, uh, chosen."

"You're going to be the next speaker? Isn't that a good thing?"

Charlie shrugged and crossed her arms over her chest. "I don't know. I thought it was, at first, then I started to see echoes of the prophecies Rowena saw. I know where she is leading you and those boys, and it scares me. I know that it's the right call, but I dread the day when I will have to make it. And I think that day is coming faster than I thought."

Jo moved to sit beside Charlie, pulling the omega against her side and resting her chin on top of her head. "What can I do to help?"

"Oh, Jo, I don't think you can. I wish you could, but this is my burden. I don't know who the prophet is or where they are, just that I have to find them as soon after they awaken as possible. Whoever it is will need me to guide them through the headaches and visions."

"What are the requirements to be a prophet?"

"Uh, it has to be an omega. That's guaranteed. Also they have to be a messenger."

"Could it be one of the boys? Or do you think it's one of the other three unnamed messengers Rowena mentioned?"

"It has to be one of those seven, for sure. Messengers have to be omegas or alphas, and they gain their wings during heat or rut, never their first one but when they are old enough to serve. The boys got them at twenty and twenty-one, and I think that their growing _need_ to get away from Michael and his planned mates for them prompted their change. Rowena said that it's a little different for a prophet; they rise during a moment of great transition in their lives, or through some great trauma. It doesn't have to be during heat, but they would have to already be a messenger to rise as a prophet. All four of the boys fit the profile."

Jo leaned back and furrowed her brow. "You don't think it's any of them."

"I have no reason to suspect otherwise, but something deep inside me says that the prophet is someone else, one of the other three messengers. Rowena said that a speaker can't see her own future or her prophet's identity, but I just _know_."

"What else did she tell you about this prophet?"

"She said that, in her day, the prophet and her speaker formed a tiny, independent pack with a legacy who would protect them from all threats."

Jo grinned, reaching for Charlie's abandoned roll and wolfing it down. "What if the legacy is an omega? Most of them, with few exceptions, don't enjoy fighting."

"That's not really an issue, since omegas can't be legacies, just as betas can't be messengers."

"And alphas can't be witches?"

Charlie shrugged. "Yes, but that _particular_ rule has a tiny exception. Donald Stark, one of Rowena's oldest and most trusted friends, is the only known natural-born alpha witch within recorded history. No one knows how it happened, though Rowena suspects that his mother was practicing some pretty heavy and dark magic while she was pregnant with him. He is the only alpha witch, though he says that his wolf is not terribly interested in the more aggressive alpha tendencies. He has never been in a fight with another alpha, he defers to his beta mate during any confrontations, and has always quickly and almost eagerly submitted to the mundane alphas he has to interact with. He was one of the loudest voices in favor of Crowley being allowed to compete for Head Alpha, and Donald was the first one to offer fealty to him when he won."

"Wow. I'd like to meet him someday."

Charlie fell silent at the words, slipping free of Jo's arm and padding over to the window. She stared at the polished wood of the sill, running her fingernails over the swirls in the dark surface. "Jo, I am going to find my prophet. When that happens, the prophet and I will need someone to protect us, someone who isn't also busy guarding Rowena. I want to ask you to be our legacy, when that day comes."

"Me?"

"I can't think of anyone else I would want to run with for the rest of my life," she whispered, hands clenching into fists at her side. It was a hard thing to ask, and among Spellbound wolves the alpha often asked first. "I know that you have obligations with Wilderness pack, and I have to return home at least long enough to find my prophet and graduate as Rowena's apprentice, but I am going to miss you so much. I hope that you will miss me?" It wasn't phrased as a question, but the inflection was there, Charlie's insecurities leaking through.

"Of course I'm going to miss you," Jo whispered, joining the omega by the window and pulling the young witch into her arms. "I thought you would know that by now."

"I don't want to ask you to leave your pack."

"You aren't asking. Charlie, I wasn't planning on running with Dean for more than one or two more seasons. I was only doing this long enough to learn pack etiquette so I could return home and find my place there. I kind of thought that I would spend some time with my mother running the inn, but I don't think that's me anymore. Dean has said many times how much he wants to live in the wild, and I've been thinking about doing that myself. I was considering Jody's offer before winter started, but now . . ." She smiled at the witch, running her fingers through her red hair. They were the same height, though Charlie might have an inch on the alpha. "I'm not allowed in Spellbound lands, though, as a Wilderness alpha."

Charlie felt her heart soar at the alpha's words. "But you would consider it, if there was a way? You would run with me and my prophet?"

"I would run with _you_ ," Jo clarified. "And I would protect you and your prophet."

"And would you . . . will you court me?"

Jo chuckled, the sound shifting to a purr as she pulled the omega closer. "By the Ancestors, I thought you'd never ask."

Charlie reached up and cupped the blonde's face in her hands, emerald eyes sparkling as she leaned in to claim Jo's lips in a gentle kiss. "I've been waiting to do that since I met you."

"Why did you wait so long?"

"Didn't want to scare you away."

Jo shook her head and leaned in for a second kiss. "You never could."

* * *

"Hey, Gabe?"

"Hmm?" The blonde was already half-asleep, the long day of weapon practice exhausting him. "What is it, Sam?"

"Gad said that you want pups."

Gabriel groaned and forced himself back to full wakefulness, leaning up on one arm and staring down at his tall boyfriend. "What bothers you about that? I mean, yes, I do one day want pups, but that isn't a request. Gad knows me better than anyone; both of us have always dreamed of what pregnancy would be like, and we both want families."

"How large?"

"Sam, what's wrong?"

The alpha sighed and ran a hand through his hair, closing his hazel eyes as he tried to organize his thoughts. "I don't know. I mean, I never really thought about pups. I'm only twenty-two, after all, and I'm not the Wilderness heir. It's never been expected of me, not like it is of Dean. He has to mate and have pups, and Dad has been pressuring him since his first rut to start looking around at eligible omegas."

"But not you?"

Sam shrugged, opening his eyes again and letting them meet Gabriel's concerned gold. "No one ever asked me what I want."

"Do you?" Gabriel cursed the waver in his voice, struggling to push back his tears and gain some control of his emotions. "I'm not going to be upset if you say no, but it's what I was bred for. Omegas are raised to think about breeding and pups more than alphas, I think, and I did try to be the 'right' kind of omega."

"Gabe, there's no wrong kind of omega." He reached up and curled his hand around Gabriel's cheek, smiling as the blonde leaned into the caress. "It's not that I don't want pups, it's just that I think I'm too young to raise one properly. I'm not ready."

"Sam, I'm not asking you to impregnate me during my next heat, but I do want to know if you would ever be willing to."

Sam pushed himself into a sitting position, staring into Gabriel's unreadable whiskey-gold eyes as he considered the question. "I don't want pups, but I do want little mini yous running around and getting underfoot. I think you'll make beautiful little babies."

Gabriel's heart almost fell at the first few words, filled to bursting at the clarification. "I think _we'll_ make beautiful babies," he returned, leaning forward to catch Sam's lips in a soft kiss.

"But not this year," Sam added, returning the kiss and pushing closer, tilting his head to deepen it. Gabriel groaned against his lips, pulling himself into Sam's lap as he nodded in agreement.

"Not this year," he echoed breathlessly, his inner omega singing with joy. He couldn't wait to mate this wonderful alpha.

* * *

Crowley woke first, as usual, groaning at the sudden scent of almost-heat that washed over him. Kevin and Alfie were in those last few pre-heat hours where more sensitive alphas could scent them, and they would be fully in season by the next morning. Crowley had been around omegas in pre-heat and full heat before, and the scent never bothered him, but it wasn't safe for the boys to be near an alpha while in that condition. No matter how they normally felt about Crowley, their wolves would demand that they get the alpha to breed them. It would certainly make for a long, interesting day.

Balthazar stirred before the boys, breaking the alpha's thoughts. His blue eyes, cornflower pale this early in the morning, found Crowley's crimson quickly, the omega smiling and stretching out his nighttime kinks. "Morning," he grumbled, nuzzling up against the alpha's chest.

"Morning, Zar."

The omega looked up, spreading his hand out on Crowley's chest and pushing down. "You're really tense this morning. What's wrong?"

Crowley smiled and threaded his finger through Balthazar's hair, forcing himself to relax. "It's your two new brothers. I can smell them."

"What do you . . . oh. Are they in heat already? I can't smell it."

"No, just pre-heat. Some alphas can catch the change in their scent a day before they go into full heat. Unfortunately, I seem to be one of those lucky few. I've never spent so much time with mundane omegas before, so I had no idea how distracting it could be. There's also this weird prickling along my spine, similar to when I have scented omegas in full heat before, but it's just making me uncomfortable. And, apparently, tense."

Balthazar turned over so he was facing Crowley, head still resting on his chest. "I thought that the pheromones were supposed to attract alphas. All alphas. Why are you immune?"

The Head Alpha shrugged. "Because it isn't you."

"I've never heard of anyone having that much control over their wolf. I'm flattered."

Crowley grinned. "I've had a hundred years to come to an understanding with my wolf. Donald and I had a long conversation about it once, and he taught me some tricks. He and I used to have to spend time with the Coven's omegas when they were in heat, and we had to control ourselves. I'm pretty sure that I won't be able to resist you, though."

Kevin stirred before Balthazar could answer, but the blush on the omega's cheeks reassured Crowley that his compliment was well-received. Kevin kicked his brother, caught in the last grip of a dream, and both of them woke with a start.

"Good morning, boys," Crowley greeted. "Ready for breakfast?"

Samandriel pushed himself into a sitting position. "What time is it? I think I see the sun."

"Yeah, I let you three sleep in. You'll be pretty high-strung for the next few days, so I thought you might appreciate a day off."

"The next few . . . oh." The Celestial raised his wrist to his hand and sniffed it, sighing. "Heat. Damn. I hate being in heat."

"Only because you hate the thought of an alpha knotting you," Kevin returned, slipping out of bed and splashing some water on his face before grabbing the neatly-folded pile of clothes that one of the servants had laid out the night before. "When you're in heat, you beg for it. I despise that loss of control as much as you do."

Crowley chuckled as he dressed, choosing to stay in his soft cotton underclothes instead of his wolf-fur ones. He had no intention of shifting that day, and he wasn't holding court, so he could choose more casual clothes. Balthazar also ignored his wolf-fur underclothes, finding a pair of heavy, cream-colored pants and a sky blue shirt that Crowley had given him a few days earlier, the sleeves decorated with light green vines interspersed with dark purple grapes. It was a nod to the omega's love of wine, and it was quickly becoming his favorite shirt.

"I've never met two omegas who so desperately wish they were betas," Crowley commented, handing Balthazar a loose brown vest to ward off the chill outdoors. He had already decided that he needed to get the boys outside where their scent would not overwhelm him, especially since it would only grow stronger as the day progressed.

"I don't wish that, not really," Alfie returned, leading the other two omegas into the main room of Crowley's suite. Linda, who had already eaten a small breakfast while waiting for the boys to wake, nodded toward the table where tea was waiting. Mark, ever attentive in a chair by the door, closed the book he had been reading and headed to the door to call for food to be delivered. Normally, he would have it waiting, but Crowley had told the beta of his plan to sleep in, so he had waited.

"The usual?"

"Yes, Mark, that will be fine. Perhaps some extra honey cakes this morning, if the chef has any prepared. And blueberry muffins." Mark nodded and stuck his head out the door, sending a servant down to the kitchen to fetch breakfast.

"Then what do you wish?" Balthazar settled onto his customary cushion, poking Alfie as the slender brunette settled beside him.

"I do want a mate, trust me. I may not want an alpha, but I don't plan to be a lone wolf forever. I just hate how much of myself I lose when I'm in heat."

"I do sometimes wish I had been born a beta," Kevin added, making a face as he sipped the too-bitter tea. "I can tolerate heat in the city, but it was definitely easier out in the woods with no one else around. I can't help worrying that some rutting alpha will bust in here one day."

"That will _never_ happen," Crowley assured him. "Not only do I have a dozen laws on the books protecting omegas, but I post a half a squad of guards in your wing at all times, all of whom will be betas while you are in heat. There are no alphas living anywhere near you except me, and if anyone did somehow magically manage to get through all of those protections and into your rooms, Linda would tear his head off."

"Damn right," the beta grumbled, staring into her tea cup. "Living in the palace has its perks."

"Being friends with me has its perks," Crowley added, smiling as Linda reached across the table and squeezed his arm in agreement.

They took their time with breakfast once it arrived, Crowley arranging for Mark to have the palace gardens blocked off for the day and a light lunch prepared around noon to be delivered to them. He led the beta and three omegas outside into the fresh and slightly warmer air, the hint of spring riding the breeze. Crowley took a deep breath, finally free of that irritating tingle that had bothered him all morning.

Linda caught the action, pulling Crowley back as the three omegas started to wander down the path to the lower gardens. "What is it?"

"Nothing, just the smell was getting to me."

"Kevin and Alfie? I'm no alpha, but I've been told that omegas in heat are supposed to give off a sweet, irresistible scent."

Crowley shrugged. "It's sweet, alright; cloying might be a better word for it. Apparently I'm one of those alphas who can scent them early, but I wish I couldn't. It's distracting and slightly confusing, especially since my wolf wants them, but I have no interest."

"You really don't," Linda murmured, eyes raking over Crowley's form as she noted the subtle physical cues her training as a spy had taught her. "I never thought you would be the one alpha I could truly trust near my sons. I'm liking you more and more each day."

Crowley chuckled and led the beta deeper into the gardens. "You like me because I'm not attracted to your sons?"

Linda shrugged. "You'll understand when you have pups."

* * *

Crowley had never enjoyed himself as much as he did that day. He escorted Linda and the boys around the garden, showing them the plants that would be bursting into bloom within the next few weeks and explaining the origin and significance of each one. He showed them the huge fountain in the center of the lower garden, a gift to a former Head Alpha almost four hundred years earlier. They ate lunch on the benches nearby, watching the first of the returning songbirds hopping around in the retreating snow.

Balthazar leaned against Crowley's side, letting the alpha pull him closer and protect him from the late winter chill. "Is this what you imagined when you asked me to take a day off?"

"I didn't imagine anything," Balthazar whispered. "I just wanted to spend time with you, away from the glares of court."

"Glares?"

"Crowley, until yesterday not a single one of them looked at me with an ounce of trust or respect. I get it, of course; I'm just some rogue Celestial omega looking to shack up with the boss."

Crowley chuckled. "That is not how they see you."

"Not anymore, for sure," Alfie purred, joining the pair on the long marble bench. He sat on the other side of Balthazar, checking that he was downwind of Crowley to avoid upsetting the Head Alpha any more. "After he put that stupid noble in his place, I'm pretty sure that the court is a little in love with him. The outer villages will respect his position, if nothing else."

"That's not a bad thing in Spellbound pack," Crowley mused. "Unlike the other two packs, we have quite a bit of turnover at our highest ranks, though the nobility tends to be consistent. Other than the Coven, nothing stays the same here long, so we have to rule through whatever means we can find. Respect is hard to earn here. It took me decades before I could stop ruling through strength and fear. But you're getting there much faster than I did; even Abaddon likes you."

"And Abaddon doesn't like anyone," Linda groused. "I heard that she stood up for you, though, yesterday morning. She was willing to attack that alpha for talking back to you."

"Not bad. I'll have to thank her for that." He placed his empty cup back on the edge of the bench for the servants to collect later. "What do you boys want to do for the afternoon?"

"Can we go swimming?" Kevin turned hopeful eyes up toward Crowley, reaching over his shoulder to scratch his back. "I think I got bit by something or rubbed against some poisonous plant a couple of days ago; my back is itching something crazy. I think a swim might help."

"Yeah, we can head to a small pond I know of in a park in the northern part of town. The nobles' estates are nearby, but the park itself is relatively secluded. It's close enough that we won't have to shift."

"Sounds great." Balthazar slipped off the bench, following Crowley back into the palace proper, his two omega friends behind him with Linda taking the rear guard position. Crowley insisted on bringing a full dozen guards, all of them betas except Ruby. She glanced at the two younger omegas, sniffing gently as she caught the faintly sweet scent of their impending heat, glancing at Meg and nodding. Her second headed to the park ahead of the group, clearing nobles, servants, and guards from the path before the main group came through, knowing that even the hint of an omega's heat this early in the mating season would drive alphas wild. It technically wasn't safe for the boys to be wandering so far from the palace, but no one would dare argue with Crowley.

Linda and Crowley chose not to swim, sitting with Ruby and Meg on a small bluff overlooking the clear but still cold pond as the three omegas stripped and jumped in. The two full-blooded Celestials didn't feel the chill at all, this late in the season, but Kevin could only manage a half an hour before running back to his mother for blankets and hot tea. The beta built a small fire for them, helping her older son warm up as the other two chased each other through the still water.

"Did it help your back?" Linda pulled the blanket away to examine her son's skin, dark eyes narrowing at the two long scrapes on either side of his spine where he had been scratching, or asking for help scratching, almost nonstop all day. "I don't see anything wrong, not really. I mean, you've scratched your back almost bloody, but there's no marks from any plants or bugs that could have caused this."

"I know," Kevin whispered. "Alfie has the same marks on his back from the constant scratching, but he's more subtle about it. This itching, it just won't stop. It's going to drive me crazy."

"Look, I have some aloe ointment that should soothe your skin. I'll get it for you when we get back. Are you two the only ones suffering from this?"

"As far as I know, yeah. Balthazar seemed a little freaked when I first told him, but I think it was just guilt. He worries that we got it chasing after him a few days ago, in the deep woods where we rarely venture. He could be right, but I don't want him to feel bad about it."

Linda placed a hand on Kevin's forehead, looking into his eyes and making him open his mouth so she could check his throat. "You don't seem sick. Whatever it is, it's topical. The ointment should help."

"Thanks, Mom." Finally warm, Kevin shrugged out of his blankets and ran back to the pond, Crowley politely averting his eyes from the naked omega.

All three of them returned less than an hour later, bundling up in the blankets they were offered and enjoying the heat of the fire. Crowley reached out and ran his fingers through Balthazar's spiked, damp hair, smiling as the blonde strands refused to be tamed. "How was your swim?"

"Invigorating. I'm glad we came." The omega turned to Alfie, tilting his head as Linda checked his back, as well. "You guys didn't tell me that the itching was that bad. You've almost made yourselves bleed from scratching so much."

"I have an ointment for them to use tonight," Linda assured him. "Are you sure you don't have the same symptoms?"

Balthazar shook his head, his blue eyes worried. "Not . . . not now. I have had them before . . . back in Celestial lands. I don't think it's the same cause, though. It wouldn't have lasted for almost two days if it was. I mean, I don't think it would."

"How long did yours last?"

"Just a few hours, maybe eight? It itched like no one's business, but it was completely gone the next morning." He couldn't elaborate any further, but Balthazar was reasonably certain that Kevin and Samandriel were not reacting to the same situation that he and his brothers had gone through. They had been scratching at their backs for much longer, if nothing else.

" _Zar, what aren't you telling them?"_

The omega fought against the urge to look up at Crowley or in any way acknowledge that mental communication. He had forgotten that the alpha could communicate across any bond in his pack without speaking, including through a tattoo, apparently. Focusing his thoughts and shifting his hands under his blanket as surreptitiously as he could, Balthazar touched his tattoo and tried to project his message back. _"It's nothing, honestly. I was worried at first, but this is much worse than the, uh, ailment I thought they had."_

" _If you're sure,"_ the alpha replied cautiously. He had caught the edge of a few of Balthazar's thoughts during the projection, and what he had seen was worrisome. _"Good job with that focus, by the way. You're pretty clear for an amateur."_

" _I'll keep practicing."_

" _I'm sure you will. Just . . . Linda is worried. Keep an eye on the boys tonight."_

" _Of course."_

They only managed one more hour of swimming before the omegas were too tired to continue. Once they were warm and dry, the boys dressed and followed Crowley back to the castle, their retinue of guards flanking the group. Ruby glanced at Crowley as she walked one pace behind and to the side of him, brushing the purple tattoo on her arm. _"At least they don't smell as strong now,"_ she observed.

" _Be glad you aren't cursed with sharper faculties. It's been overwhelming all day."_

" _Just think how wonderful it will be when it's Balthazar who's in heat."_

Crowley could imagine it, all too clearly, in fact. His wolf, already on edge from the hint of _fuck me_ hormones the younger omegas had been leaking all day, jumped on the image of a very naked Balthazar on his hands and knees in Crowley's bed, that rosemary-mint scent overlaid with the delectable musk of full heat. Crowley looked over his shoulder and glared at Ruby, his crimson eyes flashing as her lighter ones laughed. She glanced down at his crotch significantly, smirking at the effect her words had evoked, bowing to her alpha as they reached the omegas' chambers.

"Is there anything else, Alpha?" she asked in a too-pleased tone.

"Yes, Ruby, one thing," Crowley ground out. "Double the guard in this wing when you leave, and make sure that they are all betas."

"Of course." She tapped Meg's arm and led her away, the beta oblivious to the tension in the air or the silent conversation that had provoked it.

Crowley followed Linda into the suite, reaching out to take Balthazar's hand as he glanced at the doors leading out of the main room. "Which room will you boys use tonight?"

"Alfie's, I guess. It's in the middle and the bed will be big enough for all of us."

"Alright. Linda, do you want to take your two boys into Alfie's room and try that ointment? I'll bid my farewells to Zar and leave. I'll have supper sent up in a couple of hours since it won't be safe for the two of them to be anywhere near the main dining hall tonight."

Linda glanced at the alpha's tense posture and the death grip he had on Balthazar's hand, and she nodded in agreement. She knew that spending the day with two omegas going into heat had been hard for Crowley, and now that they were getting closer he was struggling to contain his wolf. She trusted him not to take advantage of Balthazar, but he definitely would need a few minutes alone with the boy before he could face his court again.

Crowley pulled Balthazar into his assigned bedroom, closing the door and leaning against it with a sigh. The omega, hands still linked, watched him warily. "Are you okay?"

"Damn lieutenant of mine, putting ideas in my head," Crowley growled, his eyes closed as he tried to push his wolf down and gain some sort of control over his erection. He was currently at a stalemate, the scent of the omega so much stronger in his own room. "I was perfectly fine until she said something."

"You were pretty on edge already," Balthazar argued, stepping closer and cupping Crowley's scruffy cheek in one hand. "If I had known that you were more sensitive to that heat scent than most alphas, I would have suggested locking us away a day early."

Crowley shook his head and dropped a kiss in Balthazar's palm. "I wouldn't have traded today for anything. It has been a _long_ time since I just got to relax and take time for myself, and I enjoyed my gardens more today with the three of you than I ever have before."

"I'm going to miss you over the next week," Balthazar whispered, leaning close enough to rest his head in the crook of Crowley's neck, nuzzling the alpha's scent gland and letting the smell calm his wolf. He had no idea how fast he could fall for someone, but here he was, close to tears at the thought of spending a week away from his alpha.

Crowley wrapped his arms around Balthazar's waist and stepped away from the door, turning them and pushing the omega against the wall, purring as he claimed the blonde's lips. Balthazar let out a tiny whine, bending his knees and letting the wall support him, subconsciously trying to find a way to submit to his alpha. Crowley sensed his omega losing himself, a warning that he should pull away and leave, but he could still feel the imprint of Balthazar's lips on his scent gland. He pressed closer to the omega, groaning as he felt Balthazar's erection rub against his own, and he knew that he had lost.

Crowley pulled out of the kiss, pressing his lips against the base of Balthazar's neck as his wolf growled. The urge to bite down, to claim this omega for his own, was almost overwhelming, but he managed to pull away and reclaim Balthazar's lips. He felt the omega's hips jerk forward as he desperately searched for some sort of relief, and Crowley was happy to oblige. He pushed against Balthazar, rubbing harder and faster as a voice screamed in the back of his mind that dry-humping an omega in his own room was _way past his line_.

Balthazar broke free of the kiss and threw his head back, pale blue eyes completely clouded over as he whined and wrapped his arms around Crowley's shoulders, raising one leg to try to pull the alpha closer. Crowley growled as he thrust faster, chasing his orgasm as he felt the omega come undone in his arms. Balthazar still had enough self-control to bite his lip as he came, Crowley growling through his own orgasm as they both slid to the floor.

Crowley held Balthazar against his chest, panting as his wolf finally retreated, sated at last after a long, long day of being teased and ignored. "Dammit," he whispered.

"I don't even know why you have a line," the omega whispered against his neck.

"I never needed one before I met you," Crowley returned, still not ready or willing to move. "No one has ever made me lose control like this in my life, but just the idea of you in heat and I'm reduced to humping you against a wall."

Balthazar raised his head, smiling at the alpha. "Is that what Ruby said to you?"

"Yes. I made the mistake of telling her how hard it's been to control myself in close quarters with the boys today, and she told me to think about how wonderful it would be when it was you instead. Apparently I have a very active imagination."

"Well, I, for one, can't wait to try that for real," Balthazar purred.

The alpha chuckled and stood, pulling the shaky omega to his feet and leading him toward the washroom. "Let's get you cleaned up." He helped Balthazar clean off and change clothes, tossing his soiled ones into the laundry basket in the corner for the servants to collect later. He slipped out of his own under shorts and dropped them in the basket, too, opting to go without until he returned to his room.

As soon as Crowley was sure that the scent of what they had done was gone, he led Balthazar back into the main room of the suite, catching Linda's eyes as she waited patiently on the couch for them. He nodded toward her before turning to offer Balthazar one last, quick kiss. "I'll see you in a few days, Zar."

Linda wrapped an arm around Balthazar's back as the alpha left, offering whatever support she could. They might not be officially courting, but she knew that her temporary son would miss his alpha greatly over the next week. "Come on, the boys are resting."

"Did the ointment help their backs?"

"Somewhat. Go sit with them and relax until supper, okay?"

The three omegas spent a couple of hours sitting together, talking about their previous heats as the boys mentally prepared themselves for the coming days. This would be their first heat in a city, trapped in a small suite of rooms, but at least they wouldn't have to worry about finding food or avoiding any roaming alphas. Balthazar told them about some of his earlier heats, before Michael started trying to starve them into submission, and moved on to his most recent heat and escape through the mountains.

"You guys did that in heat? With no help? That must have been hard."

"It was," the blonde confirmed. "We couldn't really stop for long, staying in wolf form as much as we could and covering our tracks and scent every chance we got. We ran out of supplies a lot faster than we thought we would, and there's not much to hunt in the highest mountain peaks in the winter. When we finally reached the plain that forms the forbidden land between the three pack lands, we were understandably relieved. However, Lilith and her betas scented us as we came down the final peaks and they attacked me before we realized they were there."

"And is that when Dean and his pack came to help?"

Balthazar nodded at Alfie, the younger omega watching with an entranced expression on his face. He had heard tales of Asmodeus and Cain's other pups since he was a baby, all of them warnings from his mother, so hearing a first-hand account of a group of wolves who fought with those outcasts that he had learned to fear was exciting. "Yeah, they did. We were holding our own, barely, but even Cas was running out of steam. I don't know what prompted Dean to bring his band into the forbidden lands with nothing but the scent of blood to go on, but he really did save us that day."

A quick knock on the door ended the conversation, Linda poking her head in. "Supper's here. Crowley sent pheasant and at least a dozen different types of deserts. I think he feels bad that you have to be cooped up for the rest of the week."

"Or he's trying to impress Balthy," Kevin returned, grinning at his friend.

Balthazar rolled his eyes. "Let's just eat."

The two younger omegas packed away much more food than usual, their wolves demanding that they get ready for five days of mating. They complained the entire time, but Linda reminded them that it would be healthier for them to just obey their instincts even if they weren't going to mate this time. The food and their rising hormones exhausted them, so Balthazar led the two to bed and changed into his favorite sleeping shirt.

"Balthy, you said that your back itched like this before." Kevin's comment caught the older omega off-guard, but he nodded hesitantly. "What did you do to stop it? The ointment isn't working as well as I'd hoped."

"Well, it didn't itch nearly as much in wolf form, but I really don't think you have the same thing I had. I don't know if changing forms is going to do you any good."

"I'll try anything at this point," Alfie grumbled, reaching over his shoulder to try to scratch a particularly annoying spot. He slipped out of his shirt and sleeping shorts, no longer modest around Balthazar after spending so much time with his cousin. He shifted into his pale brown wolf form, his belly a few shades lighter and his eyes the same soft brown shade he had in human form. He whined something to his brother, and Kevin stripped and shifted into his own black wolf form with white points and dark eyes. Balthazar followed a moment later, curious to hear whether shifting had helped.

" _Balthy, I wish I'd asked you earlier today how to make the itching stop. This is so much better than even the ointment."_

Balthazar felt himself go cold at Alfie's words, struggling to keep his fears out of his eyes or scent. It _couldn't_ be the same thing, but he was fearing more and more what would happen in the morning. Offering a mental smile, he pushed a few pieces of furniture around and curled up on the huge rug in the center of Alfie's bedroom, waiting for the two smaller omegas to curl up next to him before closing his eyes. As their familiar scents washed over him, that sweet heat overlay strong enough for even him to smell, Balthazar closed his eyes and willed sleep to come quickly. He prayed to every god he knew that he was wrong.

* * *

Morning came sooner than Balthazar thought it would, sunlight brightening the world outside, thought it didn't come into the window in the winter. The omegas had grown used to Crowley's south-facing room, so they should have been able to sleep though the dimmer morning in Alfie's bedroom. Balthazar opened his eyes less than an hour after sunrise, raising his head to look over the two omegas curled up against his side. They were in full heat, the entire room taking on the sweet scents that were meant to call every alpha and some betas for miles to come find them. He watched as Kevin's face contorted in almost-pain, the black wolf whimpering and groaning as he rolled onto his side, yelping in shock as he jumped to his feet.

" _What's wrong?"_

The younger wolf shook his head, glancing at his side. _"I feel like I rolled on something. There was a pain in my back, same place I itched yesterday."_

Balthazar closed his eyes and hung his head, rising to his feet as Alfie groaned himself awake. _"Can you . . . do you feel the itching anymore?"_

" _No, it's gone,"_ Alfie murmured, Kevin agreeing with him. _"But I feel weird, unbalanced."_

" _Stand up and stretch your back, reaching out with your arms at the same time."_

" _Arms? Balthy, we don't have arms in wolf form."_

" _I know,"_ the Celestial whispered, _"but it's the only analogy I know. Please, just try."_

Kevin shrugged, reaching out with his front paws and stretching his back, focusing on reaching out with his "arms" as instructed. Balthazar whined as two huge, black-furred wings unfurled from underneath skin flaps on the omega's back, Alfie stretching out a similar brown pair. He sensed the instant that the boys realized what had happened, opening his own iridescent white wings and staring at the younger omegas as their shock slowly faded into wonder.

" _We have wings? You have wings? Balthy, what is going on?"_

" _You're messengers, like me. It's like the witches of the Celestial pack. Crowley says that we used to serve the Three Lands but my people fear us now. His father was a messenger, and all of my brothers are, too."_

" _All four of you?"_ Kevin glanced away and did the math in his head, eyes wide as he turned back to his temporary brother. His dark eyes were sprinkled with white, the tiny spots growing as he spoke. _"You changed right when your heat started. Your backs itched like ours did, and that's why you were so concerned yesterday. You didn't run because Michael was forcing you to mate; you ran because you sprouted wings."_

Balthazar nodded, watching as the white spots in Kevin's eyes slowly grew. _"Yes, that's why. I'm sorry I didn't tell you before, but my pack kills messengers on sight. There's a prophecy that four winged omegas would bring down the pack, and that's me and my brothers. We're destined to break the leadership of every pack and bring about the rise of some King. I never thought that there would be other messengers."_

Kevin folded his huge wings away, watching them over his shoulder to make sure that they were hidden correctly before shifting back to human form. Alfie and Balthazar followed quickly, all of them dressing before anyone spoke. Kevin sighed and closed his eyes, running his hands through his jet-black hair. "So, messengers get their wings when they go into heat?"

"Yeah. Not the first one, though; Crowley said that it's two to six years later, when they are old enough to serve. Messengers have to be omegas or alphas, though most of them were omegas in the past. Crowley's father was an alpha."

"What are we supposed to do? Who do we serve?"

"I don't know," Balthazar answered honestly. "We need to talk to Crowley or Rowena about it; they know a lot more than I do. My brothers and I are part of the prophecy, but I don't think you are. I guess you're just the two messengers meant to be born this generation."

"Are we . . ." Alfie trailed off and looked away, picking at the edge of his shirt. "Are we in danger? Is someone going to try to kill us?"

"Not here," Balthazar answered firmly. "Crowley will protect you, I can promise you that. And Linda isn't going to let anything happen to you, either."

"Balthy, I'm only half Celestial. How did I end up with wings?" Kevin finally opened his eyes, Alfie gasping in shock at the color. "What?"

"Your eyes. They're completely white."

Kevin's now-colorless eyes widened in shock and he turned to find a mirror, dropping to the floor with his head in his hands as searing pain lanced through his skull, followed quickly by images that flashed by too quickly for him to catch. He heard Alfie and Balthazar calling his name as blackness claimed him, mercifully dampening the pain and silencing the visions.

* * *

Hundreds of miles away, Rowena woke with a start, purple eyes glowing in the early dawn light streaming through her curtains. She saw two wolves with wings in her mind—two male omegas hidden by a dark fog—for an instant before something deep inside her snapped. The bond that she had carried for five hundred years finally broke, her fading connection with her prophet lost at last before she could focus that final image. The last two messengers had found their wings, but she had no idea who they were. More concerning than that was what the broken bond meant.

The new prophet had risen at last.

* * *

 **AN:** Time to answer some reviews from the last few chapters (in no particular order, from FF & AO3)!

First off, this chapter is way longer than I planned, but I got kinda into the fight scene with Dean's pack and I needed this to end with the rising of the prophet. Hence, super long chapter. Generally, when I start a chapter, I know what scene I want it to end on, so the length varies greatly depending on how long it takes to get there (like Gabe getting his voice back in 4 or Castiel revealing his identity in 1).

I'm kinda using Rowena as the "author's voice" character like Kripke used Chuck. So, she's going to be helpful because I want the readers to know what she knows. Eventually, Charlie will take over her role somewhat, but only because Rowena won't be involved in some of the later adventures of Dean & pack (which is all I can say without giving anything away).

As for Anna and Lucifer teaming up, I did originally plan to just use Anna, but without a co-conspirator it would be almost impossible for the readers to know what she is thinking and planning. I think Lucifer works with her, and I want to do something with the older Celestials' sibling relationships. With Raphael wholly on Michael's side, Anna gets Luci. Fair warning, I'm probably going to end up killing off more Celestials than Spellbounds or Wildernesses.

To be completely, 100% honest, I really, really wanted to use the word "exsanguination" in a sentence after watching 13x21. I always planned for Crowley to kill Gerald (aka creepy guard) but ripping his throat out as a parallel to Sam's death in s13 was just to satisfy my artistic desires. (I actually once wrote an entire fight scene in "The Last Sacrifice" just to use the word "untried", so I'm weird like that)

As for Abaddon, she wasn't loyal to Crowley in the show because she was more powerful than him and more highly ranked in Hell's political infrastructure, but here he beat her in a fair fight (albeit on his second try) and drove Cain out, something she failed to do multiple times. He's more powerful than her and has the backing of the full Coven, so she wouldn't dare cross him. She's an opportunist, not stupid.

To everyone: I'm glad you are enjoying the story! I love writing it; I never expected to have another epic-length story after "The Last Sacrifice" (which I still technically haven't finished) but this is not going to end anytime soon. I do answer questions, but the best way to get a response is just ask them in your review and check the next chapter(s) for replies. I try to answer what I can without giving anything away, sometimes even having the characters explain things for me (like Rowena in last chapter finally explaining why I sent Balthy to Spellbound lands).


	10. Changed

Chapter 10: Changed

* * *

"LINDA!"

The beta burst into her son's bedroom, falling down beside Kevin and touching his forehead. "What happened?"

"His eyes turned white and he fainted."

"White?" Linda pulled at one eyelid, sighing as she leaned back and shook her head. "Balthy, go find Clea. Alfie, bring me some cool water and a cloth." The younger omega dashed off, Balthazar helping move Kevin to the bed before turning to the door.

He stepped into the hall, finding himself facing Meg and three other beta guards that he didn't recognize. "Balthy, what's wrong?"

"Kevin fainted. Linda told me to get Clea."

The beta nodded, touching her fingers to the tattoo on the inside of her wrist. Unlike the one Balthazar wore, hers could reach any witch in the coven. She whispered something and waited for a response, nodding before looking back up at Balthazar. "Apparently she's already on her way. The witches sensed an upheaval of power last night and an explosion this morning so they were already planning to send her. Go back inside and she'll be here shortly."

Balthazar returned to Kevin's side, almost overwhelmed by Alfie's terrified scent. He reached out and placed a hand on his friend's shoulder, pale blue eyes urging him to calm down. "Clea is on her way. The witches sensed something this morning and they were already planning to send her here."

"If this is what I think it is, Kevin's life is not in danger," Linda murmured. "I've only seen it once in my decades traveling the other lands as a spy, but it's not something I thought my son would become."

"There's something else," Balthazar interjected, trying to decide the most delicate way to break the news. "Your sons . . . last night they sprouted wings. They're messengers."

"Messengers? I didn't think they existed anymore."

"Balthy and his brothers are messengers, too. All four of them."

Linda's eyes widened, Balthazar heart falling as he realized that she had heard of the prophecy. He watched her warily, terrified of her reaction, and clearly his scent was strong enough for even the beta to pick it up. She smiled and reached out to grab Balthazar's arm, shaking him gently. "I'm not going to hurt you, Balthy. I'm surprised because I thought that the prophecy was just a myth told by Celestials to justify the wholesale slaughter of their special pups. Spellbounds would never treat their witches the way that Celestials have treated messengers. Is that why you didn't tell me before?"

"Yeah, I was afraid. Crowley said that it would be best to keep my nature to myself, but once Kevin and Alfie started having that same itching I knew that the secret was out. They sprouted their wings overnight as they went into heat."

A sharp knock on the door heralded the arrival of Clea, the witch wearing her customary dozens of bracelets, necklaces, and rings, a curious glow in her purple eyes. Without waiting for an invitation, the healer sat down on Kevin's bed and touched his forehead, closing her eyes.

"His mind is a jumble of images, colors and sounds flashing by too fast for me to catch. I've only ever met one psychic and no seers, but he seems to have developed their skill to see the future. From the number of paths I'm seeing, I'd guess that he is a seer."

"But why did he faint? He was in a lot of pain."

"I don't know, but I've heard that it can be a shock when these powers awaken. It's worse for him since he's in heat and his body is already under a great deal of stress. The best thing you can do is let him rest; there's nothing actually wrong with him. I'll come and check on him again when his heat is over and talk to him about his visions."

Linda nodded. "Alright, thank you, Clea. Balthy, can you watch the boys for a while? I have to go talk to Crowley about this."

The Celestial nodded. "Of course."

As soon as Linda was gone, Balthazar and Alfie moved Kevin to the head of the bed and tucked some pillows around him, covering him with one of the lightest blankets they had.

"Are you okay, Alfie?"

"I don't know," the younger omega whispered, wringing his hands as he shifted uncomfortably on the bed. "I have wings, my brother's a seer, and I can't focus on any of that because of this _burning_ in my gut."

"I almost forgot you were in heat," Balthazar apologized, smiling gently at his friend. "Do you need to go take care of that?"

"Not yet, but soon. I want to be here when he wakes up."

* * *

Crowley looked up as Linda entered his study, closing the door behind her. "What's wrong?"

"My boys are messengers, and I know that Balthazar is one, too."

"Well, you get right to the point, don't you?"

Linda shrugged and sat down across from the Head Alpha, resting her arms on his table. "The itching, it was their wings coming in. Balthazar went through something similar when he got his wings earlier this winter. He also told me that he and his brothers are the messengers from the prophecy, the one that you have frequently told me was a myth."

"It's not a myth, but it's not safe to talk about. Omegas are already vulnerable enough, add to that some prophecy that most people won't understand . . ."

"You were afraid someone would attack Balthazar."

"Someone already did, without any help from a damn prophecy," Crowley growled, his eyes flashing as he remembered ripping out Gerald's throat. "Your boys aren't part of any prophecy, as far as I know, but I doubt it would be safe for anyone to know that they are messengers. My father was torn apart by his own pack when they found out."

"I'm not going to tell anyone, but there's something else."

Crowley raised one eyebrow. "Something more than your sons both sprouting wings, even though one is only a half Celestial?"

"Kevin had visions and his eyes turned white."

The alpha sighed and dropped his head onto the table, letting the silence stretch between them. "You are kidding me."

"Clea checked him over. She said that he's probably a seer, but it's too early to know for sure."

"This trumps three messengers in my pack."

Linda shrugged. "What am I supposed to do about this?"

"I know a private clearing not far away where they can practice flying. Balthazar has been using it since he showed me his wings. Other than that, let them speak with Mother when she returns. And tell the boys that I'll protect them."

"Thanks, Crowley."

* * *

Charlie led Jo to Rowena's room, fingers lightly twined with the alpha's. "I've known her most of my life; she never sleeps in."

Jo shrugged and waited as Charlie knocked on the door, both women entering a moment later. The sunlight fell across the pale blue blankets wrapped around a slender form in the single bed, Rowena turning her head to acknowledge their presence but not uttering a sound.

"Is everything okay?" Charlie pulled a chair up to the side of the bed, reaching out to place a tentative hand on her mentor's forehead. She had never known Rowena to be sick, but there was a listlessness to the tiny witch that worried her.

"I'm fine," she whispered, her accent stronger than ever. "My prophet . . . the bond broke this morning. It feels like I've lost a limb that I never noticed having. It's going to take me time to adjust to this absence."

"Your bond . . . does that mean that the new prophet has risen?"

Rowena nodded and closed her eyes. "Two new messengers sprouted their wings in the wee hours of the morning. Two male omegas. It's the last thing I saw before my bond snapped."

"I think one of them is the prophet," Charlie murmured, remembering the conversation that she had with Jo the night before. "I'll test the boys, of course . . ."

"I agree with you. Nothing in the prophecy ever indicated that one of the four would be the next prophet, and I have stared at those images for five hundred years. I have walked every path. I think that one of the other three messengers is your prophet, and it's very likely that it's one of the two who went into heat last night and gained their wings."

"This is the time of the year that male omegas traditionally go into heat," Jo murmured. "Max went into heat this morning; I heard Tasha mention something about locking him away in his wing of the palace. The boys have their heat unnaturally early, but I would imagine that male omegas in Celestial and Spellbound are also entering their heats now."

"Yeah, they have theirs just before the Spring Equinox, and the females have theirs a month or so later. I'm guessing that Cas and his brothers will have their mid-year heat just after the Summer Solstice."

"How are you going to figure out who it is?"

Charlie shrugged, running her fingers through Rowena's hair as the witch purred contentedly. "I guess we'll have to travel to Celestial lands after we return home. Apparently I'll know him when I meet him."

"You will," Rowena confirmed, closing her eyes and letting her apprentice calm her. "I just need to rest today, child. If you could arrange for some food, I would be most appreciative."

"Of course, Rowena. We'll go harass the kitchen staff now."

Charlie pulled Jo to the door, pausing as Rowena called her name. "I see that you found your legacy. I wondered how long it would take you two."

Charlie blushed and tucked herself against Jo's side. "At least I figured it out before we left."

"I'm glad you'll have someone to look after you."

* * *

Akobel stood on a rise overlooking the southern mountains, one hand raised to block the glare from the morning sun on the last of the winter snow. "Looks passable."

The petite woman beside him, a pale omega with wavy, dark chestnut hair and light blue eyes, shrugged, checking the weapons on her belt as she kicked at the snow underfoot. "Yeah, I can get through that. It'll be better when I get to the southern slopes and into Wilderness lands since there should be less leftover snow in the lowlands. Do you want me to leave today?"

"Yeah, get packed up. Don't take any weapons that you wouldn't need for hunting, and take the fastest route you know. I wouldn't put it past Michael to send his own envoy if we wait too long, so you need to get to John first."

"Of course. There's a trading post on our border where I have met with Wilderness guards in the past, and they have always let me through. What do you want me to tell the boys if they are in Wilderness lands?"

"To flee and never return."

Hannah looked up at that, tilting her head curiously. "That can't be Michael's message."

"No, it's Anna's, and of the two of them I trust her more. She said that they will be in danger if they return, and I remember how afraid they were when they ran away at the beginning of the winter. Michael planned to force them all into mating alphas of his choice, taking the one power omegas have away from his own brothers. They were right to run, and you have to warn them to keep running. If they go far enough south, Michael will never be able to find them."

Hannah nodded and turned back to the horizon. "Michael will have guards loyal to him at the border. They will see me leave and watch for me to return. When I come back without the boys, he will immediately launch a much less polite expedition."

"Yeah, Anna thinks so, as well. She is working on that. All you have to do is _find them_ and warn them to leave. Don't come back until you do or until you have exhausted all hope of tracking them down. If you can't find them, neither can he."

"Very well, I will go get packed. Who is Michael sending to Spellbound?"

"Metatron. I can guarantee that you will reach the Wilderness city before he even leaves the mountains, but I cannot guarantee his loyalty. You know Malachi; he aligns with the greatest power in order to assure his own survival, but he will not risk his pack needlessly. Metatron is old and won't leave until the snow is completely gone."

"Agreed. Will you send anyone with me to the border?"

"Rachel and Hester. They'll escort you to the last mountain."

"Alright, I'll go let them know."

* * *

"Hey, Tasha."

"Hey, Cas. What's up?"

The raven-haired omega bit his lip and looked away, clearly uncomfortable. "I wanted to ask how Max is doing. If he . . . if he has someone to help him through this."

The witch smiled and reached out to run her fingers through the taller man's hair, soothing him like she would her own son. "Don't worry about him. He has a couple of male omega friends from the city who are going through this with him, and a couple of female omegas keeping them company. We're a pretty tight-knit community, so generally all of our young, unmated omegas get together for both rounds of heat here in the palace. If you or your brothers want to visit him, I know that he would appreciate the company, but you don't have to worry about him being alone right now."

Cas visibly relaxed, the tension draining out of his form. Tasha took a moment to marvel at the change in the young omega, who had been nearly starved to death when they first met and could almost fit in rail-thin Garth's clothes but now shared shirts with the broad-shouldered Wilderness heir. She could understand why Michael had been threatened by the boy. "Yes, I was worried. I know how tough heat can be. My brothers and I go into heat so early, and we have rarely had the luxury of a safe home and support during our time."

"You know, you're the strongest omega I've ever met. Your brothers rank up there, but they are nowhere near the warrior you've become. I don't think anyone will ever lock you up or starve you again, Castiel. Dean won't let them, but I think you have learned that _you_ don't have to let them, either. I know it sounds weird, coming from someone with magic to protect her, but I pity your older brother when he runs into you again."

Cas smiled as his eyes met Tasha's, the younger omega reaching out to hug the witch. "Thank you, Tasha. Dean says it, but he loves me. It means a lot, coming from you."

"Don't assume that I don't love you just because I don't want to get in your pants," Tasha scolded, smiling as the other omega blushed. "I feel like I've adopted you and your brothers to some extent, and I'm going to be sad to see you go. I hope that you will come back to visit us once you've taken your place in the pack."

"Yeah, I'd like that." Cas looked over his shoulder as if he heard something, smiling softly at the sound. "I have flight practice in a few minutes. Thank you, Tasha; it means a lot to have someone who cares about me and my brothers, and not as trained breeders."

"Get used to it! My pack is very welcoming, even accepting a decently powerful, natural-born witch from Spellbound lands. Accepting you is nothing compared to that!"

* * *

Benny leaned back against the nearest tree, adjusting his position until he was comfortable. Gadreel had stretched out on the ground beside him, head pillowed in the beta's lap, whining at the burning in his muscles. The training session had been brutal, Cas pushing his brothers hard in their flight drills as Dean worked with his pack on the ground. Charlie had joined to watch the practice, making a fire and providing snacks, water, and tea for the group when everyone took a break. She sat beside Jo, massaging the alpha's shoulders and whispering something in her ear.

"How you doing, cher?"

"Everything hurts," Gadreel grumbled, his voice vibrating against Benny's thigh. "How are you not completely dead right now?"

"Dean's pushed us like this since I joined his pack. I'm used to the pressure by now."

"Cas has _never_ been like this. I don't know what's gotten into him."

"Dean, I'd guess."

Gadreel chuckled and rolled over onto his back, turning his face up toward Benny's. "Not yet, I'm sure, but they are getting awfully handsy."

"I've noticed. Are you jealous?"

Gadreel shook his head, reaching up to wrap his hand around Benny's thigh, squeezing gently. "No, I think I'd like to enter into our mating completely sane. I worry that Cas and Gabe aren't thinking about that as much as they should be."

Benny reached down and ran his fingers through Gadreel's light hair. "You're the sensible one, aren't you?"

"One of us has to be." Benny smiled and leaned down to kiss the omega, curling his fingers behind Gadreel's head. It was an incredibly awkward position, but neither of them cared.

Sam, Gabe curled up in his arms as he sipped his restorative tea, caught his boyfriend's attention and nodded toward Benny and Gadreel. The blonde chuckled, tucking his head under Sam's chin and nuzzling him. "They're pretty much perfect for each other."

"You're pretty much perfect for me," Sam replied, holding the omega closer. "I don't know how we lucked out and found each other, but I have never been happier in my life."

"I never thought I could be happy as an omega," Gabriel whispered, his golden eyes distant. "I hated it sometimes, especially when Michael started pushing us to mate, but I don't feel like that anymore. You've made me happy to be an omega, to be _your_ omega, so thank you for that."

Sam smiled and kissed Gabriel's forehead, running his fingers through the smaller man's blonde hair. "I'm pretty happy to be _your_ alpha, too, you know. I was really surprised when you came onto me that first night; most omegas I've ever met either found me intimidating or the less desirable of the big Winchester Alphas."

"Less desirable?!"

Sam chuckled at Gabriel's indignation. "Dean's the heir and he's always acted like a traditional alpha. Dad's influence, I think. Me, I've always been happier with my books and I've never had much interest in the alpha fights or proving my place in the pack. I've never even had much, uh, experience, and the one time I was with an omega I maybe freaked out and ran away."

"Why?" Sam shook his head, brown hair falling to cover his face. Gabriel reached up and pushed the strands back, golden eyes meeting dark hazel. "Why?"

"I was worried about what she expected from me," Sam whispered. "She had gone after Dean three or four times and been rejected before she seduced me, and I thought that she wanted to sleep with me to get closer to him. I didn't want to be seen as an omega's door to my brother's bed, so my handful of other experiences were with male betas since they wouldn't be interested in mating Dean. Until I met you, I have never met an omega who was interested in just me."

Gabe nuzzled Sam under his chin and purred, sensing as the alpha relaxed at the sound. "I was never interested in your brother, for whatever that's worth."

"Thank you, Gabe," Sam whispered. "It really does mean a lot."

On the other side of the fire, completely ignoring their brothers and pack mates, Cas and Dean hunched over attack patterns scratched into the dirt where the snow had melted days earlier. "This is similar to the one you were practicing earlier, but with a lower attack vector. It should be a stealth angle, but you'll have to test it from the sky. I can't fly, so I'm guessing at some of the details here."

"Yeah, I think we can do that," Cas mused, twirling a stick in his hand before using it to make a small adjustment. "I can't wait until we get Balthazar back. It's going to make this formation work so much better."

"Only, what, ten days left? Something like that?"

"Something like that," Cas echoed, his eyes distant. "Dean, Balthy . . . he's going to become Crowley's mate one day, isn't he?"

"I mean, yeah, that seems likely."

Can bit his bottom lip and clenched his hands in his lap. "If he's the mate of the Head Alpha of Spellbound and I'm the mate of the next Head Alpha of Wilderness, then how will I ever see him again? I can't be separated from him forever."

"Hey, Cas, don't worry about that," Dean soothed, pulling the raven-haired omega into his arms. "I don't care about this stupid war, and I never have. I think Crowley and I can come to some sort of agreement that will let you and your twin see each other as much as you want. And he can bring his pups to visit us and you can take ours to spend time in Spellbound lands."

"You would do that? You would break five hundred years of tradition just to make me and Balthy happier?"

"Sweetheart, I would declare war on all three packs to make you happy."

Cas smiled at the sentiment, leaning in for a chaste kiss as he cheered up considerably. A few feet away, clearly having caught the tail end of their conversation, Charlie stiffened and turned to stare at the pair. Jo glanced up at the witch, her head tilted curiously. "What's wrong?"

"Something Dean said," Charlie murmured. "I got a flash of that prophecy that Rowena told us about, but just for a second. Until I bond with my prophet, this is going to be completely out of my control."

"What did you see?"

"Bodies," Charlie whispered, closing her eyes as she tried to focus. "I think . . . don't tell them, but I think that he may declare war on the other packs to keep Cas."

"To keep him happy?" Jo was trying to learn what would be expected of her as the prophet's legacy, and at this point it seemed to be keeping secrets and acting as the speaker's sounding board when she saw something she needed to work through.

"No, just to keep him."

Jo felt a shiver of ice run down her spine, a reaction to the ominous tone in Charlie's voice. "Are you sure? Charlie . . ."

"I know. I wish I didn't," she admitted. "But I keep seeing these tiny little images, and I'm trying to work through them as they come. I saw two other flashes the night Rowena told me that I had been chosen as the next speaker, and this is probably the most disturbing one yet."

Completely oblivious to the women's conversation a few feet away, Cas leaned back in for a second kiss, this one decidedly less chaste. He felt Dean's arms tighten around his waist as he deepened the kiss, fully intending to pull away a few moments later. Dean, however, had other plans, reaching up to thread his fingers through Cas's hair to hold him close. The alpha growled softly against his lips, and Cas felt himself start to float away, losing all resistance as he melted into Dean's arms.

The hand on Cas's waist slipped under his loose shirt, the heat of Dean's palm almost burning his oversensitive skin. Cas whined as he tried to get closer to his alpha, to close what little gap existed between their bodies. Dean was quick to oblige, shifting his body and pushing Cas back against the ground, the hand on his back sliding down to slip under the waistband of the willing omega's pants.

Jo caught the aroma of incredibly aroused alpha first, the spicy cinnamon-apple almost drowning out the increased sweetness in Cas's normal honeysuckle-clover scent. She looked up sharply, catching Sam's eye as the larger alpha recognized the danger a moment later.

"Dammit," Sam growled, carefully shifting Gabriel from his lap to the ground as he pushed himself to his feet. "Jo!"

The two alphas moved as a unit, Benny just behind them as the sour scent of their fear reached him. Sam growled a challenge, forcing Dean to break away from his omega to answer the threat as Benny grabbed Cas and pulled him away. Dean roared, lunging forward towards Cas as Sam jumped on his back and forced him to the ground, Jo leaning in to help hold him still as Gadreel and Gabriel grabbed their brother's arms and helped Benny drag him to a safe distance.

Cas came back to his senses first, his agonized whine slowly fading into uneven panting as he leaned against Gadreel's chest, Gabriel's arms wrapped tightly around him. Benny ran gentle fingers through the omega's hair as he purred soothingly, knowing that Dean would never be able to calm down if Cas was still riled up.

Dean stopped struggling a moment later, his eyes returning to their normal green as the black of fury and bloodlust faded at last. Interrupting an alpha intent on mating was dangerous bordering on suicidal, especially one as big and strong as Dean Winchester, but Sam had been wrestling with his brother for twenty years and knew his every weakness.

"You can let me up now, Sammy," Dean murmured, his voice more subdued than Sam had ever heard. Sam moved to sit in front of his brother, nodding at Jo to reassure her that everything was under control. "I'm sorry."

Sam sighed and stood, reaching down to help Dean to his feet. "We're going to go for a walk and talk about this."

Dean nodded contritely, crossing over to the cluster of omegas curled up with Benny. He knelt down beside Cas and reached out to caress his cheek, waiting for those piercing blue eyes to meet his before offering a small smile. "I'm sorry, Cas. I didn't mean to get so carried away."

Cas extricated himself from his brothers' arms, leaning forward for a quick hug from the alpha. "I know. It's not only your fault."

Dean ran his fingers through Cas's hair again before gently pushing him back into his brothers' arms. "It's definitely _mostly_ my fault. Sam and I are going for a walk; we won't be coming back here today. When you guys are done with flight practice, we'll meet you in the city. Okay?"

"Okay. I love you, Dean."

Dean smiled as he joined his brother at the edge of the clearing, glancing back over his shoulder. "I love you, too, Cas."

Dean and Sam walked in silence for almost ten minutes, the trek through the forest much longer in human form. When Dean finally spoke, his voice had regained some of its former confidence. "That's not the first time."

"Yeah, I guessed as much. Cas fell way too fast. How often?"

Dean shrugged, kicking at a rock in their path absently. "Three or four times now. Just kissing, some heavy petting, a couple of hand jobs, and one blowjob." Sam and Dean had always had a very close, honest relationship, and the older alpha knew that he had to be completely open with his brother now, no matter how uncomfortable it got.

"Geez, Dean; you can't let him give you a blowjob! Do you have any idea how dangerous that is? Rowena would tan your hide—"

"He didn't," Dean interrupted. "I gave him one."

"Oh." Sam worked through half a dozen responses in his mind, but the sudden unbidden mental image of his brother on his knees in front of Cas wouldn't leave him. "Really, you, kneeling on the floor, giving an omega a blowjob?"

Dean shrugged. "I kinda liked it. He really liked it. Besides, the other way would be too risky. I'm not stupid."

"I'm not sure your actions today back that up."

Dean growled something under his breath. "I wasn't going to do anything, Sam."

"Except try to strip an omega in the middle of your whole pack," Sam retorted, grabbing Dean's arm and forcing the other alpha to stop and face him. "You can't do that anymore."

"Well, obviously—"

"No," Sam interrupted, raising one hand for silence. "You can't do _any_ of that anymore. No more omega space, no more hand jobs, no more touching below the belt. You two aren't going to be naked together unless you're swimming and the rest of us are there, too. If I even think you've done something with him, I'll kick your ass halfway to Celestial lands."

Dean's green eyes widened at the ultimatum, at his little brother giving him orders. "Sam . . ."

"It's for your own good. Mostly, it's for his. Hasn't Asa told you about what almost happened to Tasha when they were courting?"

Dean shook his head, turning to follow Sam as the taller alpha started walking again. "What?"

"He and Tasha had been courting for almost two months, waiting for the go-ahead from Dad for her to join the pack. They did the same kind of stuff that you and Cas have been up to, mostly flirting with omega space. One day, he let her fall too far and stay gone too long, and he almost couldn't bring her back. He said that when Tasha did finally come back to herself, there was something off, and his own wolf was anxious and twitchy for a couple of days. On the third day, he couldn't function; all he could think about was her. Tasha almost went insane trying to stay away from him, but thankfully Rowena was still traveling with her at the time and realized what had happened."

"An incomplete mating bond," Dean whispered. "Just from omega space? I didn't think it was that dangerous."

"It's not, as long as you're mated. Sometimes an omega can reach it during a casual hook-up, but that is rare. Tasha and Asa had to mate immediately or risk permanent mental damage, but thankfully Dad's approval arrived by messenger the next morning. Asa said that it wasn't really an incomplete mating bond, but Tasha's wolf was in omega space for so long that it thought she had been mated and didn't understand why there was no bond."

Dean was silent until they reached the edge of the trees, the alpha raising his eyes to stare at the lake shining in the distance. "You think I'll do that to Cas."

"No, not really," Sam assured him, clapping his hand on his brother's shoulder. "I'm sure you know what to look for and you never let him fall long. I just wanted you to know that Rowena's somewhat cryptic prophecy is not the only danger in your future. You've been in some level of courtship with him for almost three months. That's a long time for anyone to maintain control."

Dean snorted as they began the long trek around the north side of the lake. "Doesn't seem to be a problem for you, though. I haven't seen you lose control yet."

"Dean, I've had to control myself my whole life. You're John Winchester's heir; the big alpha of Wilderness pack, and you've never had to worry about that. I know you've never been with an omega before—"

"Neither have you."

Sam shrugged. "Fair point. But I have spoken with Mom at length about alpha-omega relations and I know that you kinda grimaced your way through every sex and mating talk that either of our parents have tried to have with you. You've never had to hold yourself back, you've never had to worry about staying in control of your wolf because being a big, dominant alpha is all you've ever wanted. Now you have this omega that you love by your side _all the time_ and it's a strain. I can see that. Hell, Benny can see that. You have to find a way to reign yourself in before you hurt Cas or inadvertently create a bond too early."

"That control thing . . . it's part of it, I guess," Dean conceded, "but not all of it. I mean, I knew exactly what I was doing the first time I gave Cas a hand job. I knew that it was crossing this line that we have to watch during a courtship, but I didn't care."

"Why?"

Dean clenched his fists at his side. "Because I'm worried that Dad won't accept him."

"Dean?!"

The older Winchester threw his hand into the air, exasperated. "Don't you think Dad has plans for me? Haven't you been watching over the past ten years as he threw omega after omega at me? I have never, even for a second, been tempted by one, but he kept trying. The law says that he can't pressure an omega into mating, but nothing protects the alphas from coercion. I tell Cas that his brother's idea of a 'perfect omega' doesn't matter, but the thing is, Dad's got a pretty similar mindset. He'll like Gabriel; your omega is small, submissive, and doesn't like to fight. Castiel is six feet tall, well-muscled, as aggressive as an alpha, and has almost as many scars as we do. Dad's going to hate him."

"Mom's got scars, Dean, and she was never really submissive. I'm sure Dad wants you to be happy, no matter what his personal opinions are."

"Dude, were you paying attention when we practiced with those angel blades? Cas _pinned_ me. No one except you has ever been able to do that, but he overpowered me the first time we faced off in an actual fight. I couldn't beat him; the best I could manage was a draw. You're bigger than me, and I can still take you down most of the time, but Cas is . . . we're evenly matched. It's what I've always wanted in a mate, but Dad would flip his shit if I told him. He is not going to want me with an omega who can physically dominate me, even if it's only half the time."

Sam stared at the ground as he walked, keeping his stride at the shorter, even pace he used when Dean was walking with him. "Look, I'm not saying that I think Dad would reject your chosen mate or anything, but let's say you're right. If he does anything like that, I'll do everything in my power to make him change his mind. Mom will, too, I know it. But what you're doing with Cas isn't going to help either one of you. If you mate him before Dad gives his approval, the consequences will be dire."

"Yeah, I know," Dean whispered, remembering back to his father's punishment for previous, smaller infractions against his rules over the last twenty years. Crossing his father was never wise, and the rules about inter-pack mating were some of John's most prized laws. "I wouldn't have gone that far, but . . ."

"I know," Sam replied, saving his brother from elaborating. This conversation was already way past the boys' normal level of emotional heart-to-heart. "I've got your back, Dean, you know that. Just . . . control yourself around Cas, okay? Don't worry about what Dad will think, just don't mess up this courtship. One way or another, he's going to be your mate."

Dean nodded, smiling up at his brother. "Thanks, Sammy."

* * *

Kevin jerked awake just as Balthazar and Samandriel finished their lunch, the dark-haired omega rolling out of bed and tucking himself up against the wall with his legs pulled up to his chest. Alfie joined him instantly, wrapping his arms around his brother and purring softly. "Welcome back, Kevin," Balthazar offered, sitting down in front of the smaller man. "Feeling better?"

Kevin shook his head, shocking white eyes flickering around the room. "I can still see all of these . . . _images_ . . . and I don't understand any of them. I see wolves I don't recognize, places I've never been, and some sort of war that is much, much worse than the border skirmishes that the three packs have fought these past few decades. What is going on?"

"Clea said that you're a psychic or a seer; that's why your eyes are white. She thinks it's more likely that you're a seer."

"A seer?" Kevin took a deep breath and leaned against Alfie, struggling to calm his racing heart. "Okay, a seer. I've met one, a long time ago. She was a Wilderness rogue, but Mother traded with their band frequently when they were passing through our lands. She had white eyes."

"Did she see the kind of things that you're seeing?"

Kevin shrugged. "She seemed to understand the images, and I have no idea what these are. Most of them pass too fast for me to catch, almost like listening to a language I barely know. I need someone to help me translate . . . whatever this is."

"I'm sure Mother will take us to see her after the Equinox," Alfie offered, shifting uncomfortably as he rubbed his back against the wall. Kevin and Balthazar exchanged a charged look, both of them standing as Kevin pulled his brother to his feet.

"Alfie, you really need to take care of that. Balthy and I will be in the main room, okay?"

Alfie whined and nodded, twitching as heat danced across his skin and he resisted the almost overwhelming urge to fuck _something_. He had been pushing down that desperate urge to _mate_ for the past two hours, but he was almost past the point where his self-control would be enough. Balthazar had tried to get him to leave a couple of times, but the young omega had wanted to be present when his brother woke up. Omegas in heat, whether they were breeding or not, needed to mate once or twice a day to satisfy their wolves, and Alfie was way overdue.

Kevin and Balthazar retired to the main room of their suite, closing Alfie's bedroom door behind them to give him some privacy. They could smell the spike in his scent, but thankfully the door would muffle some of the noise he was bound to make.

"So, how are you feeling, Kevin?"

"I don't know. Freaked out? Who the hell expects to wake up with wings and visions?"

Balthazar shrugged and fixed the other omega a small plate of food, which Kevin gratefully accepted as his stomach reminded him that he hadn't eaten since the night before. "I woke up with wings and lost my home, my family, and almost my life. I can't help you with the visions, but maybe I can offer you advice on the wings."

"Yeah, that would be great. Can I actually fly?"

"Yeah, absolutely. You'll need to practice, build up your strength, but I was able to fly to the supply post directly east of here and back in one morning."

Kevin's eyes widened, his pupils the only color in his pale eyes. It was going to take some time to get used to those white eyes. "Is that the day that you were attacked?"

"Yeah. Gerald was supposed to meet me at the edge of the forest and escort me back. When he put that collar on me, I couldn't shift and fly away, so I ran. When your heat is over, Crowley and I will show you the clearing where I practice flying."

"Yeah, that would be good."

Balthazar tilted his head and leaned closer to sniff Kevin, furrowing his brow at the omega's calm scent. He was still in heat, but there was none of the urgency that Alfie had been emitting all day. "Are you still in heat?"

"Yeah, but I don't feel any urge to mate. I'm sure the shock of the visions this morning pushed that urge down for now. I'm guessing I'll be as bad as Alfie tomorrow."

Balthazar chuckled. "You can't be as bad as Cassie when he goes into heat. We didn't have the luxury of a guarded suite of rooms for most of our heats, so we hid in the mountains near our home and tried to get through it together. My twin could catch an alpha's scent four, five miles away and he would go crazy. It was all Gad and I could do to restrain him. As much as he hates the idea of submitting to an alpha or walking two steps behind someone else for the rest of his life, that boy craves a knot."

"Well, if he's dating Dean Winchester, I'll imagine that he'll get what he wants. We heard a lot of stories about him while we were traveling through Wilderness lands. He has slept with a lot of betas, male and female, and there was a rumor that he bottomed for an alpha once."

"No," Balthazar breathed, leaning forward in a request for more gossip.

Kevin grinned. "He's the heir to Wilderness pack, so John would bring dozens of omegas to meet his son every month, males and females, but Dean rejected every one. I heard that John tried to bring him a young male who was already in heat once, and Dean just straight up ran away, refusing to be coerced. That might have been his first patrol with his current band, come to think of it. He doesn't believe in manipulating anyone, regardless of their subgender, and he resented what his father was trying to do. I'm pretty sure that John stopped that nonsense, but Dean slept around with betas to get back at him, especially male betas."

"Because they can't be bred," Balthazar murmured. "Is John afraid that his son will mate a male beta? He can't possibly think that."

Kevin shrugged. "We gathered all of the information that we could, but we couldn't get answers to all of our questions. From what we could tell, Dean was attracted primarily to male omegas, but he wouldn't court anyone his father introduced him to. Meeting your twin was . . ." Kevin's eyes went distant as his pupils narrowed to pinpricks. "Fate," he whispered, his eyes flicking back and forth. "They were fated to meet. What am I seeing right now?"

"Is it one of your visions?"

"Yes. I keep seeing their meeting over and over, with slight differences each time. In most of them, I see a half-starved black omega attacking a bigger mahogany alpha before they talk, but sometimes they don't fight. I'm seeing how they could have met, but it's pretty clear that they were meant to meet."

"I thought seers were supposed to look into the future, not the past."

Kevin shook his head free of his visions, his pupils widening back to their normal size. "Dude, I have no idea. I need to speak to that seer that we met with Mother, or maybe Rowena when she returns. She's old enough to know what I'm going through."

They both looked up as Alfie's howl sounded through the door to his room, Kevin chuckling as he reached out and poured himself some water. "That boy has the loudest orgasms, I swear. I pity the beta who eventually mates him and has to put up with that."

Alfie stumbled out of his room a few minutes later, having cleaned himself up. "Sorry about that, guys. I held out as long as I could."

Kevin smiled and held out an arm, pulling his brother to his side as he finished his lunch. "I've never seen you resist the urge for so long. Feeling better?"

"Much, but I can feel that burning already returning. I'll have another episode before supper, I'm sure." Alfie reached for his own cup of water, taking a sip before speaking again. "What were you talking about before I interrupted?"

* * *

Dean was in the middle of a meeting with Asa when the omegas returned from their training session, the last light of the sun fading from the sky. He saw them from the study's window, but he couldn't leave to greet Cas for almost an hour. Once his meeting with Asa was complete, the alpha returned to his bedroom, not surprised to find the raven-haired omega waiting for him. What was a surprise was the small bag Cas had packed and placed in the middle of the bed.

"Going somewhere, Cas?"

"I, uh, thought it would be best if I spent a few days with Max."

"Max is in heat," Dean replied carefully, stepping forward to take Cas's hands, stopping him from picking nervously at the edge of his robe. He caught the omega under his chin, forcing him to look up and meet his eyes. "Talk to me, Cas."

"It wasn't _only_ your fault," the Celestial whispered, smiling sadly at the alpha. Everything he wasn't saying hovered in the air between them, Dean nodding.

"You want some time to clear your head, gain control of your sudden addiction to me and that omega space you seem to love so much?"

Cas chuckled, Dean's words cheering him up considerably. "Something like that. I don't want to be away from you, even for a few days, but I know that we really do need some separation. This courtship is incredibly long; if our situations were different, we'd have been mated over a month ago. Our wolves are starting to gain control of our interactions, and we can't give in."

"So you'll spend a few days with other omegas and try to center yourself?"

"Yeah. I thought that it would be best, especially after what happened today."

Dean leaned his forehead against Cas's, arms falling to hang loosely around the omega's waist. "I don't want you to go, but I know that you should. Sam's right; you fell into omega space way faster than I expected, and it took you too long to come back. We can't do that again until we're mated. It's getting too dangerous."

"I know. What else did Sam tell you?" Dean could tell from the omega's teasing tone that he already knew the answer, probably having heard it from Gabe earlier than evening.

"He said that if I don't obey these new rules he's set for us, he'd kick my ass half way back to Celestial lands."

Cas tilted his head back and offered Dean a gentle kiss before pulling away, returning to the bed and his waiting bag. He slipped out of his robe and laid it on top of the blanket, grabbing his bag and heading for the door. "I thought you might like to have that while I'm gone."

"Thanks, babe." Dean followed Cas into the hall, keeping his distance in an effort not to touch the omega and get any more alpha scent on him. The last thing Cas needed was to enter a room full of horny omegas smelling like him. They walked into the main hallway to find the rest of their pack waiting for them, Sam and Benny standing to one side with Jo while Gabriel and Gadreel leaned against the nearest pillar with bags at their feet.

"They decided to join you in your self-imposed exile," Sam explained, smiling at Cas. "I think they just want a break from fighting practice."

Gabe chuckled and wrapped his arm around Cas's waist. "I hear it's quite the party in the omega wing tonight; ready for some fun?"

Gadreel placed a hand on Cas's shoulder as the three walked away, helping his twin cheer up their youngest brother. They knew how much losing control that afternoon had shaken the young omega, and they hoped that some uninterrupted time alone with just other omegas would help him regain his confidence. He felt Cas start to turn, to look back at Dean once more, but he tightened his grip and shook his head. "It'll just make it harder, little brother. He knows you love him, and he will be waiting when you return."

"Thank you, both of you, for coming with me."

"We'll always be here for you, Cassie," Gabe promised. "Always."

* * *

Crowley looked up from his conversation with Abaddon as Linda entered his private study, not bothering to knock before taking a seat in front of his desk. "Linda, so good to see you."

"Sorry to interrupt, Crowley, but I knew that you would just be going over the supplicants for tomorrow. I have someone I would like you to meet, privately, when you have the chance."

Crowley shrugged. "Alright, who?"

"Do you remember when I traveled to the southern continent and spent a year living with the Nomad Tribes? This was about two years before Kevin was born."

Crowley nodded, glancing at the intricate beaded necklace hanging on a stand on the edge of his desk. It was one of the things Linda had brought back from her trip, a gift from the Alpha of the largest of the tribes, the Plains Walkers, who favored bright colors and beaded jewelry. "Sure, I remember. What about it?"

"Well, the son of the alpha I stayed with has traveled here in the hopes that you would grant him an audience to discuss terms for a more permanent trading relationship."

"Isn't it a two-week journey to the southern continent?"

Linda shrugged. "Something like that. He didn't realize what winter means up here; down there it's just the end of the dry spell in the middle of the rainy season. Now that he has had to travel through snow and deal with icy streams, he would prefer to stay here until the weather warms up considerably and the snow melts."

Crowley chuckled and nodded. "Of course. I have time tomorrow morning for a meeting if you would like to bring him then. Will you arrange quarters for him?"

"Yes, I was hoping to offer him the suite next to mine in the omega wing."

Abaddon tilted her head, raising one hand in a question. "He's an omega? Isn't he in heat?"

"No, they have their heats at different times of the year than we do up north. The male omegas go into heat in the late part of the 'short rains' season, so around the third week of December, and the next one a few weeks after the dry season starts, which would be the third week of June. I'm pretty sure the dates line up with Balthazar's heat cycle, as a matter of fact."

"Weird," the alpha murmured, glancing down at her papers as she marked off the meeting on Crowley's official calendar.

"Well, he's certainly welcome in the omega wing, then. Tell Meg and she will arrange it. Does he have any special dietary requirements or allergies that the chef needs to be aware of?"

"Not really. He's eaten more toxic plants and animals than you have heard of, and I doubt any of our foods will bother him."

"Alright, get him settled and bring him here in the morning. What's his name?"

"Mshindi. I'll see you in the morning, Crowley."

* * *

Kevin and Balthazar, curled up on the cushions and eating candy while watching the sun set, barely looked up as Linda entered the suite. Alfie opened the door to his room, having just made it through his second mating urge of his heat, scent spiking with confusion as his eyes locked on his mother. Balthazar and Kevin looked up at the sudden change in aroma.

Linda entered the room, a tall, slender, dark-skinned man one step behind her. He wore a red garment, the cloth wrapped around his legs like a skirt before loosely covering his chest, though the fabric looked too thin for northern winters. His shoes were simple leather sandals, which were also completely inappropriate for the current weather conditions, and layers of colorful beaded collars and necklaces adorned his neck and upper chest. A similar beaded band wrapped around his head, and a wider one around his waist as a belt, the entire effect striking against his rich, tar-black skin.

"Wow," Alfie breathed, light brown eyes widening. "You're magnificent."

The newcomer, his scent marking him as an omega, chuckled softly, one hand resting on a cloth bag hanging from one shoulder. "You are too kind." His words were soft, but stilted, too precise and measured for a native speaker, his natural accent a warm undertone.

"You're from the Southern Continent," Balthazar realized, rising to his feet to face their guest, Kevin standing slightly behind him. The half-Celestial was worried about his newly white eyes frightening the dark-skinned omega.

"I am. My name is Mshindi, and I am one of the sons of the great Chief Masinde of the Plains Walker Tribe. Your mother visited my father decades ago and became great friends."

Linda nodded. "Mshindi has come now to negotiate a trading partnership between Spellbound and three of the largest Nomad Tribes. He has a meeting with Crowley tomorrow, and he has been assigned the suite next to ours. In his tribe, it is customary for an honored guest to stay with the leader's family, so I have offered to have him sleep here tonight."

"Unless you object," Mshindi interjected smoothly. "I know that your customs are different and that two of you are in heat, which can make everything more uncomfortable." He emphasized each syllable of that word, rolling the sounds in his mouth before offering them forth. The way he spoke was mesmerizing, and Balthazar found that he wanted to spend a great deal more time with this newcomer, if only to listen to him speak.

"No, we don't object," Alfie answered, glancing at his brother and friend before speaking. "It will be nice to have someone new to talk to."

Balthazar rolled his eyes. "Apparently I'm not new enough for him anymore."

Alfie shrugged. "We have spent a lot of time together recently, Balthy. You're already part of the family. I'm Samandriel, by the way, but my friends call me Alfie."

"I'm Balthazar, but most people call me Balthy."

"And that's Kevin, who is too embarrassed about his eyes to speak to you."

Mshindi tilted his head curiously. "I have seen eyes like that before. There is nothing to be ashamed of. Some of our shamans have eyes like that."

"Really?" Kevin perked up at that, stepping forward to offer his arm to the visitor. Mshindi reached out and grasped the offered arm, wrists touching as they exchanged scents. He greeted Alfie and Balthazar the same way, all four omegas settling down on the cushions that were arranged near the window. Mshindi placed his bag on the floor and adjusted his layers of beaded jewelry, making himself comfortable as Linda slipped out to order food for the boys.

"Yes. A shaman, from what my father told me about your culture, is similar to a witch in your land. They have powers and a great deal of knowledge about medicinal plants, and they serve as advisors to our Chief, what you would call a Head Alpha. Some of them get sporadic visions and some can see the future, or at least certain possible paths. The most powerful of them are typically called seers."

"Yeah, that's what we think I am," Kevin replied. "The visions just started this morning when I went into heat."

Mshindi nodded his head thoughtfully. The boys had thought, at first, that he was bald, but he did have very short, wiry black hair behind his colorful headband. "That is how our shamans gain their visions. Generally they are born with some level of power or a natural aptitude, and the visions will come sometime after they reach adulthood. Have you been able to interpret any of your visions yet?"

"No, unfortunately. I have seen a vision from the past, a meeting that I knew about, but I kept seeing it again and again with small changes each time."

"Our seers usually view the future only, but once in a while they are shown something from the past, some momentous event that will influence their own future. I do not know more than that, unfortunately, since I am not a seer, but I can tell you that all shamans eventually find their way. I am certain that you will, as well."

Kevin had no idea why the words of a visitor from the south they had just met calmed him so much, but he felt a tightness in his chest start to fade. Worries he had not known he carried bled away, washed clean by this newcomer's words. "Thank you," he whispered, hoping that his words conveyed his relief. "Tell us about your home, Mshindi."


	11. Courted

Chapter 11: Courted

* * *

Crowley stood from his desk as Linda entered with her guest, Mshindi wearing the same bright red clothing and intricate beaded jewelry from the day before. He carried a simple canvas bag over one shoulder and a carved mahogany box in the other. The omega offered an alpha's bow to Crowley, common for a visitor to a strange pack to use as a sign of respect toward the alpha. Crowley reached out his arms, palms down, and Mshindi stood close enough to the desk for the shorter alpha to scent-mark his wrists. "Mshindi of the Plains Walkers, I officially welcome you to Spellbound lands and offer my protection for as long as you are among us."

"Crowley, Head Alpha of Spellbound pack, I graciously accept your generosity and the kind protection of your scent. I have brought a gift to commemorate this meeting."

Crowley smiled and gestured for the omega to sit, Linda taking a cushion next to Mshindi. "I sent Linda on an expedition almost two decades ago to meet your father and open diplomatic relations and she returned with wonderful stories of your lands and packs. She mentioned that it was customary to exchange gifts before entering into any kind of serious conversation."

Mshindi nodded. "That is true. I know that she brought back a necklace for you that my mother made, so my gift is of a similar nature. The necklace you have is appropriate for a warrior, an alpha, to wear, and I brought a companion set that I made." He placed his box on the table and opened it, waving his hand toward the wide beaded choker, the matching set of glass and shell bead necklaces, and the slender matching headband. "These are for an omega to wear, and the pattern is similar to the necklace that Linda brought for you. The shamans told me that you have a chosen omega, Balthazar whom I met, and we offer these for you to adorn him with for your mating ceremony. It is a symbol that your bond is destined, fate."

"Wow," Crowley breathed, completely floored. He had not expected this in the least. He reached out and ran his fingers over the beaded diamond pattern on the headband, colored in red, black, yellow, green, orange, and sky blue. The choker was wider, but the pattern and colors were the same, and the longer necklaces included the same beads and incorporated small white shells. "These are beautiful. You made them?"

"Yes. My father's shaman told me what patterns and colors would look good on Balthazar, and now that I have met him, I agree with the assessment."

"We aren't even . . . we're not officially courting."

Mshindi smiled, his dark brown eyes catching Crowley's bright crimson across the table. "The shamans are not concerned with politics, only fate. He will be your mate; it has been Seen."

Crowley ducked his head and smiled, running his fingers through his hair as he tried to think of a suitable response. "You know, hearing that, it means more than the gift."

Linda smiled and reached out to place her hand on top of Crowley's. "It's nice to see you happy, Crowley. Balthazar is good for you. You deserve to be loved."

"Never thought I'd hear you say something like that, Linda. Thank you." Crowley reached for a small, engraved black box resting on the floor beside the table, placing it beside the one Mshindi had offered him. Linda reached out and closed the wide mahogany box, protecting the beaded jewelry that Balthazar would one day wear. "Mshindi, I wanted to give you something that I have been working on for a while, ever since Linda returned from visiting your lands. Mother told me that one day I would meet a Plains Walker and that I should be ready."

Mshindi opened the box and gasped, eyes widening as he lifted the item out of the cushioned box. It was a deer antler, shed from a young buck and carved into the shape of a wolf, two clear and incredibly rare dark green emeralds forming the eyes and runes carved over various parts of the small animal. He ran his long fingers over the smooth bone, fingernail tracing the rune on its chest, which was embedded with tiny amethyst chips. The rest of the runes were embedded with chips of different gems, enhancing the power of the markings. "This is beautiful."

"It is imbued with some of the small spells I can perform. If you touch the rune on the head, the eyes will glow with a brilliant light, similar to my witch light spell. One of the runes produces a spell that can temporarily cover your scent, make you completely untraceable. There are other spells, and I can show you how to use all of them."

"This is a magnificent gift. I believe that we can begin negotiations for a trading partnership now, if you are open to that."

"Of course."

* * *

Balthazar leaned back against the wall of the living room, comfortably settled on one of the largest seat cushions with Kevin curled against him on one side and Alfie stretched out on the other. He was rubbing their backs in the slow, soothing strokes he and his brothers traded when they were gripped in the waves of their heats. Alfie was much closer to needing a release than his brother, but neither of them wanted to leave until Mshindi returned from his meeting with Crowley. Kevin clenched his fists tightly in Balthazar's tunic, holding his breath as a shudder wracked his slender frame, but he refused to moan or in any way acknowledge his body's _need_.

Linda had warned the Celestial about her sons, about how they always insisted on ignoring the biological demands of their subgender until it became unbearable. His own twin hated the loss of control that heat brought on, so Balthazar was not unused to forcing an omega to take care of himself. He opened his mouth to send Alfie away as the brunette actually did moan, but Mshindi returned at that moment and caught his attention.

"Forgive me, but the meeting took longer than I anticipated." Mshindi removed his layers of jewelry as he joined the boys, clad only in his red garment now that he was alone with only omegas. "Alfie?"

"I'm fine," the omega growled, fingers digging into Balthazar's arm as the older man tried to get him to rise. "Gods, I hate this."

"You shouldn't hate who you are," Mshindi scolded gently, reaching into his ever-present bag and pulling out a small pouch. It was about ten or so inches long and seemed to hold multiple long, slender objects. "Being an omega is an honor in my tribe; we bring life to the land and support the tribe in all things. We are precious and untouchable, and only we can be trusted to be messengers between the lands."

Balthazar started at the word _messengers_ , hoping that their new friend wouldn't notice. He knew that the heat scent was starting to get to him, and being on edge without the comfort of his own hormones might actually drive him insane. It was only day two. "I don't know, Mshindi; they may treat omegas like that in your land and, with few exceptions, here in Spellbound, but my brothers and I tended to be seen as mere commodities more often than not. Michael never broke the law, _per se_ , but he made it hard for us to choose our own mates."

"And his brutality drove you here, into the arms of the man meant for you," the Nomad argued, his voice still perfectly steady with that undercurrent of silky surety that few could manage. "I know that Crowley makes you happy; would you trade him for security in your birth pack?"

"No," Balthazar answered instantly, shocking himself with the words. "I . . . I wouldn't. I never asked myself that before. I'm glad we ran."

"You sound amazed, Balthy, but you must remember that the Ancestors guide us in all things. Yours saw that your mate was the Head Alpha of Spellbound, so of course you had to leave."

"Thank you, Mshindi. I can't . . . it's been a long, hard three months and I never stopped to think about whether I missed my pack. I don't."

The Nomad chuckled and opened his small pouch. "I assured Crowley that he would mate you one day, and it made him as happy as this has made you. I am pleased to see you both smile." Inside the pouch were six smaller bags, Mshindi sorting through them and glancing at the letters embroidered on the sides. "This is for you, Alfie. And this is yours, Kevin."

The two younger omegas accepted the gifts, staring at the colorful and delicately decorated pouches. The each loosened the laces that held the pouches closed, Alfie gasping at what he found and Kevin staring in amazed silence. Both boys had seen dildos before, mostly made for women since unyielding wood and antler horn would be too damaging to a male omega. The ones made for males' channels were short, meant to mimic an alpha's knot but rarely long enough to satisfy any other needs. The dildos in their bags, in contrast, were as long as a real cock, fairly similar to the one beta Alfie had fooled around with the year before, even lacking the knot at the bottom. They were made out of a strange, off-white, flexible substance with a pleasing amount of give when the young omega squeezed his.

Thankfully, Mshindi realized that the boys were at a loss for words, so he broke the silence. "It is a strange gift, I know, but, in my land, your birth parent would have procured you one or more when you reached your first heat. It helps you in times when you prefer not to seek out a sexual partner or when you are in the middle of a heat and cannot mate. The substance they are made from is called _kauchuk_ by the Jungle Shadows who farm it, though I believe your mother gave it a different name. _Rubber_ was the word, I think. It is flexible and will not injure you like the sexual devices that your people create, and I think that you will enjoy the feeling."

"I, uh, thank you, Mshindi," Alfie breathed at last. "These are modeled after betas." There was a question in those words, but clearly one that the Nomad had been expecting.

"Yes, because the shamans told us that you both do not prefer alphas." He reached into his bag again and passed a pouch to Balthazar, smiling at the mix of shock and wonder in the Celestial's pale blue eyes. "This one is modeled after an alpha, since you are fated for Crowley."

Balthazar couldn't stop his hands from shaking as he untied the laces, having suffered through so many heats without some sort of outlet beyond his own fingers and now being offered one. His eyes fell on the thick, long, off-white toy, noting the heavy knot at the bottom and the detailed veins running down the sides. "How can you make something so beautifully detailed?"

"I do not make them, but it is certainly an art form in the Jungle Walker tribe. They are very proud of these toys, and they make them in many sizes and styles."

Balthazar raised his eyes to meet Mshindi's gentle brown, shaking his head slightly. "I don't have anything to give you in return. I left my home with nothing, and I still don't have any of my own possessions. How can I repay you?"

"I do have one request. I know from my peoples' stories that it is a very personal thing to ask for, but I have dreamt of it my entire life and I will never be blessed with the ability to do it on my own." He looked down at the bag in his lap, fiddling with one of the beads on his intricate belt. "I would like to fly, just once."

The silence was deafening, the Nomad refusing to raise his eyes as the risk of seeing rejection in his new friends' faces. He knew that he was asking a lot, but the path that the shamans had seen frightened him when he learned of it. He wanted some sort of reassurance that the future would fall together in the right way, that they would be alright and that peace would reign through the land. The shaman had told him that only the clouds could answer that.

The three messengers never questioned how Mshindi had known their secret, even though two of them had been wingless when the Nomad departed his lands. The shamans in the south seemed to be just as powerful as the psychics and seers in the north, so it made perfect sense that one of them had seen their wings.

"Something the shaman told you," Kevin whispered, wincing as the first stab of a headache washed his almost-vision away. "I can't see it, not clearly, but your request means a great deal to you, doesn't it?" Mshindi nodded, not trusting his voice.

"Well, I don't know if I'm strong enough, but I have been flying the longest," Balthazar mused. "I would be glad to try to fly with you, Mshindi. On one condition."

"Anything."

"Tell me everything you know about messengers."

* * *

"How are you doing this morning?"

"Terrible," Dean groused, not bothering to glance at his companion. He had spent part of the morning browsing the stores in the marketplace, but every time he saw some beautiful swath of cloth or an intricate piece of jewelry, he had turned to show it to Cas. The omega wasn't there, of course; he was still secluded with the omegas in Asa's house, and it was killing Dean to be apart from him. The alpha, frustrated with his increasingly irritated reactions to people, had left the city for whatever serenity he could find at the side of the lake.

Clearly, he hadn't found enough.

"I came out here to be alone."

"Clearly," Charlie replied dryly. "But you don't need to be alone. Sam and Benny have been surly all morning, so I guessed that you would be in worse shape and came to cheer you up."

"You're not the omega I want right now," Dean whispered, digging his fingers into the loamy soil at the edge of the water. Winter was truly fading now, with most of the snow melted and no clouds in the sky. Spring was only a week or so away.

"I know. And you're not the alpha _I_ want right now," she snapped back, the hint of a growl under her words.

Dean turned to face the energetic redhead, one eyebrow raised. "I thought there was something between you and Jo. I'm surprised she let you come talk to me alone." As soon as he said it, Dean realized how bad his words sounded, but Charlie had been his friend long enough to know that he didn't mean any harm or insult.

"She suggested it, actually," the witch offered. "She thought that you might not be in the mood to speak with an alpha right now. Especially the one member of your pack who is currently not suffering from omega separation syndrome."

Dean couldn't resist the twitch of his lips at the words, feeling a tightness in his chest that he hadn't realized was there start to loosen. "You know that's not a real condition."

"Looking at you, I kinda think it is." Charlie reached out and took Dean's hand in hers, running her fingers soothingly across the back of his knuckles. "Dean, I know you want to have a sane and healthy mate when you get to your capital city. I know that you're miserable now, but this separation is going to save you from being miserable later." Something flashed in her emerald eyes, but Dean was staring at the lake and failed to notice.

"I know . . ."

"Do you? Think about this from Cas's point of view for a second, okay?"

Dean hung his head and ran his free hand through his dark blonde hair. "What do you mean?"

"He's never really had any control of his own life. He was raised by indifferent parents and an abusive older brother, the latter of whom consistently starved him during his heats in order to force him into a mating with a vile, abusive alpha. I can't imagine what it must have been like to have to fight the urges of heat while hungry and scared, over and over again. Those boys are so strong, but now they have found the chance to be loved and protected. It's what every omega wants, even more than we want to be bred when we are in heat."

Dean released Charlie's hand and reached out to clasp her shoulder, urging her to continue. He knew that she wanted to say more, but something made her hesitate. "I'm not going to get upset, no matter what you say."

Charlie bit her lip and furrowed her brow. "I know he loves you, Dean, and that you love him. I don't doubt that; no one who has seen you would. However, that's not why he wants to spend so much time with you. There's a subtle scent that omegas emit when they feel safe, protected, and wanted, and I smell it every time I'm around Cas. He wants that feeling, is desperate to keep it, and he is terrified that he will lose it."

Her words were pretty specific, and Dean rolled them around in his mind before answering. "He thinks he will lose that feeling? Not lose me?"

Charlie waved her hand. "Sure, he worries about losing you. That prophecy isn't too friendly toward Cas and his brothers. That isn't what he fears most, though, and he probably doesn't even realize it. Rowena has done exhaustive studies into omegas and their interactions with the other genders, and I have spoken to all of the other omega witches at length about this exact situation. I have met omegas who are content to be alone, and they are very happy, but it's always because they have found another way to get that safe and protected feeling in their lives. Cas has chosen you to provide that sensation, but he has to have some time away to appreciate it. He has never been free and alone, and he can't mate you until he understands himself a little better, something you learned to do over the past ten years leading your pack."

Dean took a deep breath and let it out slowly, feeling his irritability from that morning lessened somewhat. "Is there an alpha equivalent to this omega safe feeling?"

"You wouldn't ask me that if you didn't already know," Charlie gently scolded. "Alphas want to protect others, especially their mates. You have it stronger than most, as a pack leader, but Cas has triggered something deeper in you. You crave that feeling you have when you're with him, and that's what you're missing right now. If he was your mate, the separation wouldn't bother either of you so much, but your wolves are terrified that the parting is permanent and they are making you both suffer."

"Cas is suffering?" Dean leaned forward and moved to rise, determined to protect _his omega_ , but Charlie's hand on his arm stilled that instinctive reaction.

"See? That's what I'm talking about. And yes, he's about as miserable as you are right now, but he's not stupid enough to try to deal with this on his own."

Dean settled back onto the ground, placing one hand over Charlie's where it still rested on his arm. "He has his brothers, Max, and the other omegas in that wing to help him," Dean realized, his voice soft and contemplative.

The witch nodded, glad that she was finally getting through to the obstinate pack leader. "Who do you have, Dean?"

"Sam, Benny, and Jo."

"Then why are you sitting out here?"

Dean pushed himself to his feet and pulled Charlie up beside him, leaning in for a brief hug before kissing her forehead. "Thank you, Charlie. I guess I needed that kick in the pants."

"Damn right you did! Now go find your pack so I can go spend some time with the omegas."

* * *

Balthazar smiled contentedly over the tea Mshindi had made for them, listening as the moans from Alfie's room finally faded to silence. "Man, he loves that thing."

The Nomad smirked and sipped his own drink before speaking. "Not ready to try yours?"

"I want to, trust me, but I don't need it like they do. And it seems rude to leave you alone while Linda is out organizing our supper."

"You aren't trapped here, Balthy." There was a sudden seriousness to the dark-skinned omega's words that froze the Celestial.

"Well, I know that. I mean, I'm not in heat—"

"No," Mshindi interrupted, though not unkindly. "I can see that your customs are different from ours, but none of you are trapped here. I can teach you how to walk freely during your heats. I can also teach your alphas how to let you."

Balthazar stared at his friend as the words sunk in slowly, pushing past his initial rejection of the words based on a lifetime of societal pressure to lock omegas away during their heat. To be fair, he and his brothers had only been locked away twice; the rest of the time they hid in the forests of their mountain home and avoided alphas and dominant betas on their own. Kevin and Alfie had done the same thing during their first heat, according to Linda, so Mshindi's words were not quite as terrifying as they would be for an omega who had been raised in the city.

His question, when it came, surprised even him. "How?"

The Nomad grinned and returned to his steaming tea. "I will show you after dark. We should sleep in Kevin's room tonight; the window is in a better position."

Balthazar shrugged and nodded as the door to the suite opened and Linda returned with a trio of servants behind her. And supper. All other conversations were forgotten as Balthazar moved to help set the table as Alfie and Kevin finally emerged from their rooms.

They didn't return to the conversation until many hours later when Balthazar led the omegas into Kevin's room and hugged Linda goodnight. "Are you still taking a patrol shift this evening?"

Linda nodded sharply. "It seems only fair, since Crowley has been more than generous to us. Meg and I are going to work with a few of his new recruits on tracking in the darkness, so we'll be patrolling the forest where you got yourself lost." Balthazar credited a great deal of love and cuddling for his lack of response to that reminder of Gerald's brutality. The memories would still catch him at times, mostly when he was alone, but they didn't tear at him the same way they did his first night.

"Enjoy yourself. Who will be in charge of the guards while Meg is gone?"

"Maggie, actually." Linda chuckled at the taller omega's shock, reaching up to pat his cheek. "She is quite an accomplished warrior; you don't get the title of Guardian to the Grand Coven High Priestess for nothing. Donald will be with us, so she graciously offered to take Meg's spot with the guard."

"Well, thank her for me. It's nice to know that people care about watching over us."

The petite beta ran her fingers through Balthazar's hair in a gesture that she had used many times to soothe her own sons. "I'm sorry that you didn't have anyone to take care of you when you were younger, but you are loved, Balthazar. And not just by Crowley."

"I know. Thank you." Linda nodded and pushed him toward Kevin's room, waiting until the door closed behind him before leaving the suite herself.

Balthazar joined Kevin and Alfie on the bed, all three of them facing Mshindi who had claimed the one chair in the room and was waiting patiently for the final omega to join them. The blonde glanced over at his companions, all of them clearly waiting for someone else to start, but their Nomad companion ended the argument with a simple chuckle. "Since none of you can decide who will speak, I will ask the question myself. How can you walk freely during your heats?"

Kevin and Alfie, who had heard the words second-hand from Balthazar, found that they were not as uncomfortable as they thought they would be at the concept. After all, they had been raised in the wild and had their first heats in the forest. What Mshindi was suggesting, however, sounded much more complicated.

"Yeah, pretty much," Balthazar replied.

"Well, in my tribe this would not seem so strange. Except for the very last day, when an omega almost completely loses control of his wolf, we can walk freely during heat. Sometimes an alpha will go into a particularly hard rut and will be sent into the grasslands for some alone time and self-reflection, but we generally do not have those kinds of problems."

Alfie tilted his head in disbelief. "So you just train your alphas to ignore omegas in heat?"

Mshindi shrugged. "They train themselves. All of our children are taught self-control and we all pride ourselves on being able to ignore our biological urges when required. Omegas also learn not to react to alphas' scent during their heats, which is something I think you two will excel at. Come, I will show you what I mean." The Nomad pushed himself to his feet, clad in a borrowed cream skirt and top, wearing gray woolen pants under the skirt to protect his legs from the late winter chill, a matching vest hanging loosely around his lean chest. The clothes were Alfie's, but they fit the slender Nomad relatively well, Mshindi having requested something to wear that would be more appropriate for winter than his red robe. He had also borrowed a pair of boots, which he found confining but much warmer than his hide sandals.

"Where are we going?"

Mshindi grinned mischievously and pointed at the window, which looked out over the gardens to the north of the city. They were empty at night, of course, but they stretched all the way to the wall of the city and a small, secret gate that Crowley had shown the omegas before. "We are going there. I believe that you know a way out of the gardens and into the forest to the north."

"We can't go out there," Kevin whispered, his white eyes wide as he slipped off the bed and backed away from the window. "Our scents will give us away."

Mshindi shook his head. "The tea that I brewed for you to drink with supper was made with herbs that naturally dampen the heat hormones. If an alpha gets close to you, he will still scent you, but the tea will be enough for now. When we help young alphas train themselves, we will expose them to omegas in heat with varying degrees of scent repression to see what level the teens can handle before they go into a full rut or lose control. You would be at level three right now, but I can drop you to level two if you are very worried."

"Level three? Out of what?"

"It is a five point scale. Level five is a measurement of the strength of an omega's scent on the last day of heat. Level four is what you are at for the first four days. Level three can be achieved with the tea that you drank, and level two includes a smell-dampening ointment applied to your scent glands, bringing you close to your scent the night before full heat. Level one would be an omega's scent when they are aroused but not in heat."

Kevin glanced out the window, noting the complete lack of movement in the gardens and the darkness of a moonless night. "What are the chances we run into someone?"

"Unlikely."

"Kev, you can't be serious," Alfie hissed, grabbing at his brother's arm. "We can't go out there. Mother will be furious."

Balthazar leaned past the two younger omegas, unlatching the window and pushing it open. "If you want to stay, then do so, but I'm going with Mshindi."

That decided the brothers. In heat or not, they weren't going to let Balthazar leave them behind. Sighing, Kevin headed for his dresser and pulled out a heavier jacket, grabbing a supply bag and throwing it over his shoulder as he tossed his boots into it. Alfie rolled his eyes and grabbed one of his brother's coats for himself, dropping a pair of his own boots into the supply bag as he turned to Balthazar and Mshindi. "Do you know how to scale walls?"

"Not in the slightest," Balthazar replied, glancing at the clawed gloves Kevin had produced from his dresser.

"I have never had the opportunity," Mshindi murmured. "I do not live near mountains and there are no tall stone structures in my home land."

Alfie narrowed his eyes thoughtfully as he leaned out the window. "Kevin and I will not have any issues reaching the ground, but we can't carry two passengers."

Mshindi placed a hand on Balthazar's arm, his light grip somehow grounding the omega. "He can fly down there. No one will see him."

"Are you serious? I'm white. I'm going to glow like a damned beacon."

"You're iridescent white," Kevin argued, already seeing the merit in Mshindi's plan. "There's no moon tonight, and the stars are covered by low-lying clouds. It's almost pitch black out there and your coat needs some light to shine. Yeah, you'll be very light, but unless the guards are specifically looking for you, no one will notice."

"Okay, but how will we get Mshindi out? Kevin, do we have any rope? Maybe we can lower him down or something?"

"Or," Balthazar murmured thoughtfully, "I could carry him down."

The Nomad gasped at that, possibly the first time he had been surprised by something one of the northern omegas said. _Guess that shaman of his didn't foresee everything,_ Balthazar thought smugly. "You would do that, Balthy?"

"I promised to take you for a flight," he reminded the other omega. "Granted, I didn't anticipate it being this soon, but you would also be my first passenger. It'll have to be a short flight this time, but I think I can make it to the edge of the gardens."

Mshindi heard the implied promise in those two words, _this time_ , and he smiled gratefully. "I would be honored to accept your offer."

Balthazar smiled and headed for the window, glancing toward the wall at the edge of the city. "Do you guys know anything about the guard rotation? We need to make sure that no one is looking this direction when I jump out."

"They aren't looking," Alfie assured his friend, lacing the soft moccasins he used for scaling buildings, checking the soles to make sure that the special material was still intact. "I can guarantee you that Crowley or Mother had a long conversation with Meg and Ruby the day we went into heat about what would happen if any of the guards accidentally saw either of us in any compromising position. As often as we tend to masturbate at the end of our heats, the guards surely know that it's in their best interest to never look at our windows while we are here."

Balthazar nodded as Kevin moved to the window and glanced down the side of the building. Tightening the bag's straps across his chest, he turned around and slipped outside, toes finding a crevice as he began to lower himself toward the ground. As soon as he had room, Alfie glanced toward the distant wall and headed down, catching Balthazar's eye before he descended below the windowsill. "Fly to the door, don't try to go over the wall. The guards may not be watching in, but they are certainly watching out."

Balthazar slipped out of his dark pants, shirt, jacket, and shoes, tucking them into a small supply bag and handing it to Mshindi. Clad only in his white wolf fur shorts, Balthazar shifted forms, rolling his shoulders to release his wings. Crouching slightly, the Celestial nodded that he was ready and waited patiently for Mshindi to climb on his back and settle in front of his wings. He took a moment to wonder why he trusted this Nomad so much, why he already felt as close to him as he did the omega brothers. It had something to do with how much Mshindi seemed to know, whether he learned it from his shaman or just divined it from talking with the northern omegas, Balthazar was sure of that.

"We are meant to be friends, Balthy," Mshindi murmured, leaning forward and wrapping his arms around the white wolf's neck. "I'm not reading your mind, but I do know that this is a great gift you have given me, and it requires a great deal of trust. I am honored that you have accepted me like a brother as the shaman told me you would."

Balthazar offered a soft growl-bark that equated to an amused chuckle, realizing that Mshindi had anticipated the height of the window when he flattened himself on the wolf's back. Pushing the bedside table over to the window, Balthazar climbed up onto it and stuck his head outside, blue eyes searching the walls for any guards that might be looking his direction. There was no way for him to actually see, but his instincts demanded that he look.

As soon as he was sure that no one was watching, Balthazar folded his wings against his side, feeling Mshindi's legs wrapped snugly against him underneath the delicate appendages. Taking a deep, steadying breath, the wolf pushed off with his back legs, tucking his front ones under his chest as he snapped his wings out to their full length and caught a quick thermal before falling into a cooler column of air above the gardens. He tilted the leading finger of his wings down just enough to lose altitude, rating his descent carefully to avoid crashing into the ground. Balthazar had only practiced this glide descent once before, but he knew that flapping his wings would call the guards' attention no matter what threats Linda had offered them, so he had to be careful not to make any additional sound.

Mshindi's night vision was clearly much better than Balthazar's, a quick squeeze with his legs warning the wolf that he was close enough to pull up. Trusting the other omega, the white wolf twisted his leading fingers up, cupping enough air to slow him down as he pulled his front legs forward and reached for the ground. A moment later, he felt stone under his paws and pulled his wings back, running a few steps before slowing to a stop. He tucked himself under one of the dark trees near the path, waiting for Mshindi to slip off his back before shifting forms. There were no shouts from the wall, no thundering of feet along the path, so he was reasonably sure that they hadn't been spotted.

Balthazar took the bag from Mshindi and quickly dressed, looking up as Alfie and Kevin reached the pair with barely a whisper of their feet across the path. Kevin took the lead as they wound their way through the silent gardens until they reached the wall. Alfie, who had been the one to ask Crowley to show him the hidden door in the first place, ran his fingers over the plaster until he reached the faintest dip in the solid surface. Grinning, he pushed the door open and slipped out, the other omegas on his heels. They pushed the door until it was almost closed, placing a rock at the bottom to keep it from locking. The door could not be found or opened from the outside, so it was imperative that they prevent it from latching.

The four men slid along the wall for almost ten minutes until they reached the shadow of one of the hills that overlooked the city. They were able to move into the darkness easily, Linda's sons knowing the one blind spot along the city wall. The four waited until they reached the other side of the hill before shedding their clothes in preparation for the shift to wolf form, thankful for the unseasonably warm night.

"Aren't you going to shift?" Balthazar kept his voice low, eyes curious as their Nomad friend watched them patiently disrobe.

"Of course I am, but I do not need to remove my clothes." He didn't even wait for the shock to fade from his friends' faces before calling on his transformation, his clothes somehow fading into short, spiky golden blonde fur, his long legs coal black and his muzzle white. Shockingly, there were no clothes on the ground, so clearly he had been able to shift with them. The other three omegas finished stripping and changed forms, Balthazar shrugging the combined supply bags around his waist and watching as Alfie tightened the strap before all four started to journey toward the smudge of forest they could see at the edge of the hilly land before them.

" _How did you do that?"_

" _My people learn how to. It is not easy, but as a nomadic people we must be ready to move at a moment's notice, regardless of our state of dress. I may be able to teach you some small part of this skill, if you are willing."_

" _Hell yeah we're willing,"_ Kevin interjected, speaking before Balthazar could answer.

" _Well, let's go to Balthazar's clearing and I'll see what you can do."_

Balthazar chuckled and took the lead, loping towards the trees without any sense of hurry or concern with being followed. They wound through the shadows and whispers of the nighttime forest, their wolf instincts steering them clear of any other predators that might be out after dark. When they finally reached the secret clearing, Balthazar let out a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding. _"Wow, I really thought we were going to get caught."_

Mshindi chuckled and rubbed his face on his leg. Now that they had a little more usable light, the northern omegas could see that the Nomad was more finely built, with long, slender legs that would give him an advantage in a grassland or desert environment, and he was much smaller than the other three omegas. _"You should trust your own abilities more. Besides, guards are rarely watching for people leaving the city, only trying to enter."_

Alfie twitched his back and freed his wings, stretching them to their full size for the first time since they sprouted, flapping a few times as he tried to jump into the air. Kevin snorted at his brother, opening his own wings and attempting to get into flight before the smaller omega. Balthazar and Mshindi shifted back, watching the brothers fighting the turgid night air to get some semblance of lift, tiring themselves out pretty quickly and shifting back to human form.

The three northern omegas turned to Mshindi, Balthazar taking the position of speaker while the younger men focused on cooling down. "How can you keep your clothes on when you shift?"

"You have to convince your wolf that these clothes, these beads, and these supplies are a part of your body. It is more efficient and you do not have to spend so much time folding clothes into packs to carry with you. I travel great distances in the south, and I rarely carry anything other than my belt pouch."

"How do we do that?"

Mshindi shrugged. "It's a state of mind. You should start small, with a necklace or bracelet that you can wear in either form. I have a few with me that should be long enough." He reached into the small belt pouch on his hip, pulling out a few strings of beads, though it was too dark for the three northern omegas to see the colors. Mshindi checked the patterns on each one and pulled three free to hand out. The omegas slipped the strings of beads over their heads, noting that they hung to mid-chest and would certainly be long enough to wear in wolf form if they couldn't pull them into the shift.

"Now what?"

"Run your fingers over the beads, feel their shape and texture. You have to know the object before you can convince your wolf to accept it. For now, just concentrate on the necklace until you think you know it, then slowly pull your wolf forward and see what happens."

Over the next hour, the three omegas tried multiple times to shift with the beaded necklace, failing each time but having a few near-successes. Kevin made it halfway through the shift, the beads vanishing into his white-accented black neck fur, but he lost it at the last moment.

Mshindi finally called an end to the practice session. "When you return to your rooms, examine the necklaces and memorize the bead patterns. Seeing the colors will help you imagine the beads becoming one with your wolf."

"Why didn't we wait until we could see them before trying this?"

"It would have been harder, Kevin. If you could see it, you wouldn't have relied on your sense of touch as much, and you need all of them to successfully complete the transformation. For clothes, your sense of smell will also help."

Balthazar nodded, glancing down at the dark and light beads hanging around his neck. This skill would have been incredibly useful when he and his brothers had been escaping through the mountains, and he was determined to learn it and hopefully teach his family when he returned to them. He reached over to the tattoo on his arm, his thoughts flying to his twin so many hundreds of miles away, and he couldn't wait to see him again. He was tempted to call Tasha, ask to speak with Cas again, but he knew that the witch was busy managing the male omegas in her own pack who were in heat.

The omega's head shot up at a sudden sound in the forest behind him, all of his recent warrior training pushing him to stand in front of the other three omegas. His blue eyes widened in shock as a very familiar but completely unexpected red-striped, coal black wolf slowly emerged from the shadows of the underbrush, his crimson eyes glowing in the darkness.

"Crowley," Balthazar breathed, taking an involuntarily step forward before catching himself. The big alpha's hot pepper and wood smoke scent washed over the four omegas as Crowley shifted forms, dropping a small supply bag on the ground at his feet.

"Zar, what are you doing here? What are _they_ doing there?"

"We, uh, snuck out?"

Mshindi held one hand out to Crowley, palm out in a request for silence. The alpha turned to stare at the two youngest omegas, eyes widening as he realized that they were reacting to his scent. "I need to leave."

"No, Crowley," Mshindi murmured, his eyes thoughtful. "You need to stay. They need this test as much as you do."

Kevin and Alfie had reacted instantly to the scent of _alpha_ in the air, clinging to each other as they fought back their initial urge to _present_ and _mate_. Neither of them would ever desire an alpha on a normal day, but when they were in heat their preferences were overridden by their wolves' desires. "Mshindi . . ."

"Just breathe," the Nomad replied softly, his voice dropping into a register the boys had never heard from him before. There was a calming, supportive aspect to the tone, and Kevin found that the fire in his gut was slowly fading. He was still hard, but it was closer to something he could manage, though he would probably have to take care of it later.

Alfie was having a harder time, whining as he buried his face in Kevin's neck and breathed in his brother's scent. Kevin placed a palm over Alfie's heart, whispering in his brother's ear. "You can do this, Samandriel. Focus. You don't want an alpha, and you certainly don't want Balthy's alpha. You've resisted before, and you can resist again."

"I don't want Balthy's alpha," Alfie echoed, responding to his brother's use of his full name. "I don't want _any_ alpha."

"I know," Kevin purred, finding that comforting his brother let him gain control over his own mating instincts. He glanced up at Mshindi, who nodded encouragement. "Alfie, Mshindi says that omegas in his land don't hide away during their heat. If he can do it, you can do it."

Crowley growled and turned away from the omegas, clenching his fists. "Mshindi, what are they talking about? Did you convince them to come out here?"

"He promised to teach us something if we snuck out," Balthazar answered, stepping closer to the alpha. "None of us have really been confined during heat before, so we were willing to come. He didn't have to do much to convince us."

"This is dangerous, Zar," Crowley whispered, his voice threaded with fear. "What if another alpha had come to this clearing?"

"No one would come here but you," Balthazar replied, reaching out to rub the back of his hand against Crowley's arm. The alpha flinched slightly, but he didn't move away. It was a sign of how much he trusted the omega that his finely honed warrior instincts didn't force a reaction that would have injured Balthazar. "They wanted to stretch their wings, and Mshindi knew that. Hell, he knew what we are before he even left his home. I know it's going to sound weird, but I kinda trust the guy, so if he says this is safe, then it's safe."

Crowley's fingers twitched, the alpha resisting the urge to reach for the hand brushing against his bare arm. It wasn't cold enough for the alpha to shiver, but it was still technically winter so he would need to put on some clothes soon or shift back into his wolf form. "How did you even get out of the castle?"

"Is that really what you care about right now?" Balthazar ran his fingers down Crowley's arm, knowing that he was breaking through the alpha's resolve. He bit his lower lip as the back of his hand touched the back of Crowley's, his pinky finger hooking around the alpha's. "I've really missed you, you know." His voice had dropped into the register he preferred to use around his almost-boyfriend, the one he knew could drive the older man crazy.

Crowley took another deep breath, freezing as he realized that the wind had shifted and the scent of the two in-heat omegas had reached him. A deep, pained shudder passed through his form as he turned his hand over and grabbed Balthazar's, clearly using the omega to gain control of his own mating instincts. "Zar . . . I'm not sure I want to be part of your experiment."

"It is a skill you have practiced before," Balthazar pointed out, squeezing Crowley's hand in comfort. "Mshindi has intimated that this is a skill the boys and I need, so I'd imagine that you need it, too, if you intend to become my mate."

Crowley smiled, turning to glance over his shoulder. "You know that I do intend that."

Balthazar raised Crowley's hand to his cheek, smiling as it curled around the back of his neck and the alpha half-turned to face him. "You don't seem to be going into rut at the scent of two young, unclaimed omegas in heat," he murmured.

Crowley finished his turn at the echo of the conversation they'd had less than three days earlier, finally pulling Balthazar into his arms and burying his nose in the omega's neck. "It's a little harder when they're _actually_ in heat, but I keep reminding myself that it's not you. I've never gone into rut from an omega's heat. I can't wait to see if I do it for yours."

Mshindi joined the two younger omegas, taking their hands and leading them closer to Crowley and Balthazar, pausing less than three feet away. "Well?"

Kevin took a deep breath, still holding his brother close. "It's not that bad, I guess. I wouldn't mind if you gave Crowley some of that tea, though."

"In a normal situation, I would, but as Head Alpha he cannot have his scent diminished. It helps that neither of you are truly interested in him or alphas in general."

Balthazar chuckled, nuzzling Crowley and reveling at the scratch of the alpha's beard on his cheek. "This experiment will be a lot more interesting in three months." The omega pulled back and caught Crowley's eye, glancing around the clearing before pointing toward the bag at the alpha's feet. "Why are you even out here?"

"I couldn't sleep," the half-witch murmured. "After spending so many nights cuddled up with three very clingy omegas, I found that my bed was too empty. I came here last night and relaxed for a few hours so I could get some sleep. I had intended to do the same thing tonight."

Balthazar slipped out of Crowley's arms, one hand still twined with the alpha's as he nudged the bag at his feet. "Get dressed; I want to try something."

As soon as the alpha had slipped into his clothes, Balthazar slipped out of his and led Crowley a few feet away. Shifting into wolf form, the omega crouched down and freed his wings, nudging the Head Alpha and whining softly. _"I wanted you to be the first, you know."_ Crowley smiled, knowing what the omega was referencing, and he placed a gentle hand on the wolf's shoulder. _"Mshindi can't climb down stone walls, so I carried him down to the gardens. You should have seen it; I managed the whole glide without a single flap."_

"Good. I know that you struggled with that when we were in training." The Head Alpha buried his fingers in the ruff of fur around Balthazar's neck, climbing onto his back and wrapping his legs around his chest behind his front legs. He weighed more than Mshindi, but his legs held on tighter and his position was better than the Nomad's had been.

" _Have you done this before?"_

"Ridden another wolf? Of course. I'm sure Mshindi hasn't, since Nomad wolves are smaller and only their alphas can carry anyone at all. Don't worry about me falling off, okay?"

" _I'm worried that I won't be able to take off from the ground,"_ Balthazar admitted, taking off in a long-legged lope across the clearing. He spread his wings, testing the air underneath them as he pushed off, a few strong flaps taking him above the trees.

He felt a sudden surge of amazement and joy, Crowley somehow pushing his emotions across the tattoo that linked them. Balthazar took a moment to examine and accept the response, his wing beats somewhat strained from the extra weight he was carrying. He was becoming a decent flyer, but he had never carried anything heavier than a supply bag until this night, and flying with Mshindi and then Crowley was straining his reserves.

" _This is wonderful, Zar,"_ Crowley murmured across their link, looking up at the cloudy skies before turning to stare at his distant city. _"I could get used to a view like this."_

" _When we first sprouted our wings, my brothers and I thought of it as a curse. Now . . . now I understand what a wonderful gift this is, one that I am glad I can share with you."_ He felt the first twist of pain along the muscles of his wings, wincing as he banked left to return to the clearing. _"If only briefly."_

" _Don't strain yourself,"_ Crowley scolded, the fingers buried in Balthazar's fur offering a brief squeeze of support. _"This was more than I ever hoped for."_

" _I'll get stronger, I know I will. Then we can fly all the way to the border and back if you want."_

Crowley didn't answer, tightening his hold as Balthazar reached the clearing and tilted his wings to glide back to the ground. He landed within a dozen feet of his three omega friends, folding his wings away as Crowley dismounted. Balthazar shifted back and stumbled, suddenly too dizzy to keep his balance. Crowley caught him, arms wrapping around him protectively as he lowered the omega to the ground and pulled him into his lap. "I told you not to strain yourself."

"Is he okay?" Kevin and Alfie crouched down beside Crowley, concern for their shaking friend temporarily overriding their reactions to the alpha's scent. Mshindi brought the supply bag over, pulling out a half-full water skin and a wrapped chunk of bread from supper.

"He shouldn't have tried two flights with passengers so close together," Crowley replied, holding Balthazar while Kevin helped him take a drink and forced the bread into his hands. "He may be large for an omega, but this was a lot for his first try."

"I'll get stronger," Balthazar grumbled, leaning his head against Crowley's chest between bites of the spongy bread. It wasn't his favorite type, and he rarely ate plain bread without any kind of sliced meat or jam, but it was helping clear the darkness from his vision and calm the shaking in his legs. "I doubt any of my brothers have tried flying with passengers yet."

"Just had to be first?"

The omega shrugged, finishing his snack and returning the water skin to Mshindi. "Once in a while, yeah. You'd be surprised how rarely that happens." He sat up taller in Crowley's lap, resting his head on the alpha's shoulder and watching the omega brothers sit close to the alpha without any overt reaction to his scent. They were both still on edge, though, and they would probably need some time alone with their new toys when they returned to the room.

Something clicked in Balthazar's brain at the thought, his mind grabbing at an image that he had not consciously acknowledged earlier that day. "You had six pouches!"

Mshindi nodded, clearly expecting the observation at some point. "Yes. We commissioned one for each of you, and one for each of your brothers. They were created for each male messenger born this generation."

"Each _male_ messenger? Are there female ones?"

Crowley glanced back and forth between the two omegas, clearly not understanding most of their conversation, but the part about messengers he could follow. "Mshindi, how do you know how many messengers there are?"

"My shaman knows. There are six males and one female, all omegas. My shaman had problems seeing the female, most likely because the images are distorted by the presence of a psychic or seer, but I am sure that I will meet her at some point."

"Seven messengers? The prophecy only mentions four."

Crowley sighed and pulled Balthazar closer, running his fingers down the omega's side. "I don't remember the prophecy saying there would _only_ be four omegas, just that you four had a specific destiny. Alfie, Kevin, and this female that Mshindi mentioned must be the messengers who were meant to be born into this generation. As long as they stay away from your oldest brother and his draconian policies, they should be able to live up to their destinies." He let his other hand fall to Balthazar's hip, squeezing it gently and smiling as he felt the omega's heart race at the touch. "He has six what?"

"Six pouches. He gave one to each of us earlier today, and I had forgotten that there were three more in his bag."

Crowley's hand danced across Balthazar's ribs, the gentle touch just shy of tickling as the hand on the omega's hip dug in harder, flaming the desire that his first touch had awoken. "What's in the bags, Zar?"

"D-dildos," Balthazar gasped, his fingers fluttering against his alpha's chest as he struggled to control his reactions. "He brought dildos made from something called rubber that is soft and flexible enough for males to use."

"Really? Interesting. What are they modeled after?"

"There are two alpha models for Balthazar's oldest and youngest omega brothers, and the third is modeled after a beta," Mshindi answered. "Kevin and Alfie also have beta models, since the shaman knew that they have no interest in alphas."

"What's yours, darling?"

Balthazar grinned and nuzzled Crowley gently. "Mine is an alpha, knot and everything."

Crowley caught himself mid-growl, the thought of his omega masturbating with a toy meant to mimic an alpha's cock doing something dangerous to his wolf. "And how do you like that knot, little omega?"

Balthazar was taller than the Head Alpha, and large for an omega in both forms, but Crowley knew exactly what to say to make his partner feel _safe_ and _protected_. Balthazar mouthed the words _little omega_ against Crowley's neck, smiling contentedly as the first hint of omega space tugged at him. He knew that he couldn't give in, not in the middle of the woods with his two friends in heat, but he desperately wanted to. "I haven't tried it yet," he admitted. "Kevin and Alfie were locked in their rooms and I didn't want to leave Mshindi alone. I was going to pull it out tonight, though."

"Will you be thinking about me when you're playing with it?" The hand on Balthazar's hip slid around Balthazar's ass, pressing gently in the cleft between those cheeks as the scent of the oldest omega's arousal suddenly spiked.

"Gods, yes," Balthazar whined, trying to press against Crowley's fingers against his back as he pulled himself closer to the alpha's chest. He felt himself teetering on the edge of a cliff, just seconds from falling into omega space and begging the alpha to take him, but some small hint of a whisper in the back of his mind called him back. "Crowley, stop," Balthazar whispered, his entire body tense as he fought against every instinct thrumming through his lean form. "We can't, we can't! Damn it, what happened to your line?"

"I'm having trouble recognizing which side I should stay on," Crowley whispered.

Kevin chuckled. "I thought _I_ was the one in heat."

Balthazar finally pulled free of Crowley's arms, letting Alfie help him to his feet as Mshindi offered an arm to the alpha. "This is one hell of a test you've set up, Mshindi."

"Thank you, Balthy," the Nomad purred, watching Crowley's pupils return to their normal size as he gained control of his instincts. "Can I assume that you are no longer concerned with the scent of the two omegas in heat?"

The Head Alpha chuckled and ran his fingers through his hair. "Yeah, that problem has gone out the window, so to speak. If it was Zar, though, I couldn't guarantee my restraint."

"We'll work on that," Mshindi promised, turning to check on the two younger omegas. "We need to return soon if you intend that your excursion remain a secret from your mother."

Kevin nodded and started to strip out of his clothes, Alfie following suit as they packed their clothes into the larger supply bag, pulling the smaller one free and tossing it at Balthazar's feet. The Celestial, who still hadn't bothered to put any clothes on after taking his short flight, just glanced into the bag to ensure that all of his things had been packed away neatly.

"How are you four planning to get back into your room?"

"We, uh, left the door on the garden wall cracked open. Kevin and I will climb the side of the castle back into his room."

Crowley turned his piercing gaze toward Balthazar, one eyebrow raised. The omega turned away, biting his lip as he realized what the alpha was asking. "Mshindi and I can't get back in the way we left. I mean, the guards may not have noticed me flying out of the window to the garden, but they will see me if I fly back up. Cas or Gad could get away with it, but I'm white. I practically glow in the dark."

Crowley chuckled and shook his head. "You and Mshindi aren't locked in your room. Just walk back in the front door with me and I will escort you to your wing. I know you couldn't leave through the front door, especially since the guards would immediately report your departure to Linda, but no one would bother reporting your _return_."

"That's perfect," Alfie breathed. "Just give us time to get into the room first, just in case, and then you can simply return from a casual midnight stroll."

Balthazar grinned and handed his supply bag to Mshindi, fingers playing with the beads around his neck. "Crowley . . . you would walk us past your guards, help us flaunt your rules regarding omegas in heat?"

"What can I say? Being around you has severely confused my concept of right and wrong. It's exhilarating, helping you break the status quo, and it would be nice to see if my alphas can be trained to behave around omegas in heat. So, if this is the first step in that process, sign me up."

"Court me."

Crowley's eyes widened, even Kevin gasping in shock at Balthazar's sudden words. "What?"

"Court me," Balthazar repeated, his words stronger and more confident the second time. "I want you to court me, officially."

"I can't. You don't have an alpha . . . you don't have a pack!"

"I don't give a damn about that, Crowley. Dean's already adopted me into his pack, but if John Winchester won't accept me, then I'll fly all the way back here and petition to join your pack. I have a feeling that you _will_ accept me. One way or another, I'm going to have a Head Alpha who will let me become your mate, so why are we wasting this time now? You don't technically need my alpha's permission to court me, only to mate me, and that's not what I'm asking for right now. Court me, please."

"Alright, you silly pup." Crowley held out his arms, palms up, in one of the rare gestures that put the alpha in a submissive position. "Balthazar, son of Chuck and Naomi, would you do me the honor of allowing me to court you?"

Balthazar took two steps forward, reaching out to place his forearms over Crowley's, hands gripping just below the alpha's elbows as they scent-marked each other. "Crowley, son of Hector and Rowena, I accept your suit and welcome your courtship."

Crowley grinned and leaned forward for a brief kiss, releasing the omega as the other three shifted forms. "Come on, sweetheart; let's get back to the city."

* * *

 **AN:** Back to Asa's city next chapter, honest. I'm just really enjoying Mshindi and how he pushes the boys into new and uncomfortable situations. His true worth will become apparent in a few weeks (in-story time) and you'll see why I brought him in. Day 2 of Kevin & Alfie's heat is pretty much over. Also, the wood & antler horn dildos were really a thing, and you can see why the boys would never be able to use them. The technology level is somewhat middle ages, but Mesoamericans were making balls and other things from rubber since about 4 BCE (from what we can tell, but certainly by the 1500's) so it's appropriate for Mshindi's people to be using it. The Quechua people called it kauchuk, which is the word that Mshindi uses.


	12. Soothed

Chapter 12: Soothed

* * *

It wasn't Dean he was sensing. It wasn't. It _couldn't_ be. Castiel told himself that over and over, the mantra in his head whispering in Max's higher register in a repeat of the words the younger omega had tried to impress on his friend the night before. Leaning against the huge window that looked out toward the lake, Cas couldn't convince himself that he _didn't_ see four shapes walking along the edge of the water and one of them _definitely_ wasn't Dean.

"Is he always like this?"

Gabriel shrugged, sipping at his morning tea. "We've never spent time with other omegas in heat, to be fair, and Cassie is nothing like this during his heat. The boy has threatened to tear down stone walls to get at alphas, especially on his last day, and it is usually all we can do to keep him calm. He's never reacted to the heat scent of other omegas, so I can only imagine that his silence is just a side-effect of him missing Dean."

"You aren't silent, and I'm sure you miss Sam just as much."

Gabriel's golden eyes darkened as his fingers tightened around his mug. Max didn't mean to be cruel, but his words still sliced into the older omega. "I've had enough of silence for a lifetime. I'll mourn loudly."

Gadreel, who perfectly understood his twin's pain, reached out to squeeze his shoulder. "Max is right, Gabe; I've never seen Cas look so forlorn."

"He has a lot to work through. After all, this was his idea. He wants to learn to center himself, to resist the urges he gets around his boyfriend, and I can't argue that it sounds like a great idea for all of us. I can only hope Balthy isn't falling prey to his hormones the same way Cas is."

Gadreel snorted and walked toward one of the omegas curled up on a cushion near the bedroom. Max's suite was large enough for all three males currently in heat, plus their five visitors. Both of the female omegas, who weren't due to go into heat for another few weeks, had to leave later in the day, joining their semi-nomadic families to journey to their holdings in the south. Usually they would leave after the equinox, but the snow had melted faster than expected and all of the farmer families were aching to get out of the city and back to their lands. With Cas, Gabe, and Gad staying, the two women could leave with clear consciences.

One of males in heat, a young pup named Jordan, was whining against his pillow, mindlessly humping against the soft material. If Gadreel remembered correctly, this was Jordan's first heat, and the sensations were overwhelming him. "Hey, Jordan. Are you okay?"

"No," the smaller man whined, pale green eyes flying up to meet Gadreel's gentle gold. "Help me, please?"

"I can show you some techniques to ease the tension, but I can't help the way you mean."

"Why?"

"It won't satisfy you, Jordan." Gadreel's voice was steady and patient, explaining the mechanics of heat as calmly as he would discuss the weather. "You need a beta or an alpha, and you won't have that during your heat until you are mated. Anything I give you will be a cruel substitute. It wouldn't be fair to me, either, since I currently have a partner of my own."

"I hate this," Jordan growled, digging his fingers into the cushion as if he could _will_ his heat away. Every omega went through this stage, especially during their first heat, and Gadreel knew exactly what to say to help him.

"You do now, but one day you will realize that this is a celebration of life, hope for the future. Your heat means that you can one day have pups of your own, bring fertility to the land and life to your pack. You are special; omegas are rarer than betas, and male omegas rarer still. Surely the ancestors could see into your heart, knew that you were strong enough to be an omega."

"Strong enough?"

"Yes, strong enough. Alphas are good at fighting, but they can't manage the people in a pack or take care of pups. That's why we are precious, and loved, and protected. This heat, your first heat, is you earning your place in the pack."

Jordan's eyes widened as Gadreel's words sunk in, Max and Gabriel grinning at him from across the room. "Earning my place?"

"Yes. Are you strong enough to do that?"

Jordan nodded slowly and reached up to take the older omega's hand, following him meekly into the bedroom. The two female omegas, Ally and Raina, grinned at each other before curling back up with the last omega, an older male named Damian. He was the only one of them with a mate, but his alpha had spent the winter in the main city on an important trading mission, so he had asked to share his heat with Max and Jordan.

"Your brother has a way with pups."

Gabriel nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, he's always been great with the youngsters. He doesn't want many of his own, maybe two, but he is perfectly willing to love and coddle everyone else's children. I can't wait to foist my kids off on him from time to time."

"Does Sam want pups?"

"Kind of. He's willing to want pups for my sake, as long as we wait a while. He thinks he's too young to be a father, and I know that he also worries about me."

"About you carrying them?" Gabriel nodded, and Max scoffed. "You're like the perfect size for a male omega. You might have been a little on the thin side when I first met you, but you've filled out just fine now that you're healed. You could birth him a dozen healthy pups without a breaking a sweat."

Gabriel laughed at that, feeling the tension in his chest ease somewhat. It had taken a lot out of him to convince Sam that _they_ would be good parents, so talking about it with Max was poking at some wounds he would rather not think about. "A dozen is pushing it, but I think I know why he truly worries. I think that he still has this image in his mind of me, bleeding from the gashes on my leg the first time he saw me. I was half-starved and I could easily have bled out then and there. I would have if Asmodeus has been trying to kill me instead of kidnap me. I have to find a way to convince him that I'm not fragile and that I have healed from that attack."

Max reached out and ran his fingers through Gabriel's shoulder-length blonde hair, purple eyes searching the smaller man's face. "You'll never be fully healed, Gabe, and part of you knows that. You still wake up in the middle of the night, terrified that you've lost your voice. You still run your fingers down the scars on your legs and stare at the blood you swear you can see. What you went through was incredibly traumatic; you lost all concern for your own life at the end. If Rowena had not been able to heal you . . ." He trailed off, but his meaning was clear. Gabriel would have taken his own life. "You don't know what the thought of losing you did to Sam. I can pretty much guarantee that he would not have survived the reality."

"Max . . ."

"He's bonded to you, Gabe. He considered you his mate long before you regained your voice. He loves you more than he knows how to say, and he is terrified that Rowena's cure might fail."

Gabriel was silent for a long moment, staring into the steam rising from his herbal tea as he rolled Max's words over in his mind. Raina disentangled herself from the other two omegas in the corner, walking over to take a seat beside Gabriel and curl against his side. She wasn't much older than him, but she was incredibly perceptive and she knew that the Celestial needed more support than Max could provide alone. She also caught the increase in Max's scent, knowing that he was going to hit another spike in his heat soon and would head into an empty room to take care of it. She didn't want Gabriel to be alone when that happened.

"You're a witch, Max. Do you think the cure will fail?"

"No. I have never known Rowena to be less than completely successful. She said that the cure worked and I believe her. The trauma will never leave you though, just as that smidgen of fear will never leave Sam."

"I hate Asmodeus for this," Gabriel whispered, running his fingers through Raina's blonde hair as she rested her head on his leg. Taking care of someone else tended to help Gabriel center himself, something that Raina had picked up on the instant they met. "I want to kill him."

"For revenge? Gabe, it won't make you feel better."

"It will! It has to."

Max took Gabriel's tea away and placed it on the table, enveloping the omega's free hand in both of his. "Gabriel, it won't. Gods, I wish it could, but killing him for revenge won't make you feel better. It won't ease that pain in your soul. If you kill him, do it to prevent him from torturing other omegas, from doing _that_ to anyone else." He pointed at Gabriel's leg, emphasizing his point. "I have seen what revenge can do to a soul, and I don't want to see that happen to you."

Gabriel stared into Max's brilliant purple eyes, focusing on the feeling of Raina's silky hair under his fingers and the warmth engulfing his other hand grounding him. He poked at that deep core of anger in his soul, the part of him that wanted to _destroy_ Asmodeus for what he did, and he pulled at it, trying to unravel it, banish it. He nodded at Max as soon as he felt that he was somewhat successful, and the olive-skinned man grinned.

"Thank you for trying, Gabe. I don't want to lose you to that kind of madness."

The blonde hummed an approximation of an agreement, nodding toward Castiel in an effort to break the tension. "How do we keep from losing Cas to his demons?"

Max turned to follow Gabriel's gaze, Raina raising her head slightly before settling back down in Gabriel's lap. She couldn't comfort the raven-haired omega. "Give him some time. Charlie promised to join us for lunch, and she will speak with him if he is still like this."

* * *

"The plan is to leave five days after the Equinox. It will take three days for Balthazar to return to the city, so that only leaves us two days to pack and get on the road. I know that Dad had to be worried when we didn't make it back before hard winter, but he must have figured that we holed up in Asa's city."

Sam nodded, following a few steps behind his brother as they paced around the edge of the lake. Benny and Jo completed their group, possibly the first time that the four pack mates had been able to spend time alone together since they rescued four starving omegas three months earlier. Jo clenched her fists at her side, looking up as Benny's comforting hand came to rest on her shoulder. She wasn't immune to the beta's calming scent, and she gladly leaned against him and let that vanilla and sandalwood aroma wash over her.

"What's on your mind, cher?"

Sam and Dean slowed to a stop, joining Benny as the blonde alpha closed her eyes and sighed. "I just . . . I was thinking that this is the last time I'll run with your pack."

"Charlie?"

Jo smiled and nodded, grateful that Dean could almost read her mind at times. "She . . . I don't know how much I can really tell you, but she's going to graduate from her apprenticeship with Rowena and create her own pack once they return to Spellbound lands. She asked me to join her, as her legacy protector and . . . and as her mate."

"Jo, that's wonderful!" Sam grinned and leaned forward to offer Jo a quick hug, glancing at his brother to gauge his reaction before speaking again. "Why do you have to leave, though? It's not uncommon for the alpha to join her omega's pack, but generally it's the other way around."

"The situation is unique. I'll ask Charlie to explain it to you, but she'll be creating a kind of rogue pack that doesn't owe allegiance to anyone. I think she will look to Crowley ultimately for protection, but she and the other omega in her band will live outside of the normal pack political structure. She needs a legacy to protect them when that doesn't work, and it doesn't hurt that I care for her quite a bit. It surprised me a little, to be honest."

"I'm sad to be losing you," Dean murmured, reaching out to cup Jo's cheek in his hand. He wasn't normally a very physical person, but he knew that Jo needed his touch. "Charlie is lucky to be getting you as her alpha. You're going to make a great pack leader."

"Hardly a pack," Jo grumbled, smiling at her alpha. "My future mate and one other omega."

"A pack's a pack," Sam shrugged. "We know how long you've wanted to find your place, and leader of a rogue pack certainly counts."

"Your mother is going to kill you," Benny pointed out in that laid-back drawl of his.

Jo ducked her head and chuckled. "Yeah, I know. And I have to officially relinquish my place in Wilderness pack before I can join a rogue pack, even one that I technically lead. I wanted to tell you guys first, before we returned to the city."

Dean grinned as he walked away, his pack trailing behind him again. He glanced toward the city, almost feeling like someone was watching him, but all he could see was the edge of one wing of Asa's house. It was too far away to see people. Shaking off the feeling, he glanced over his shoulder at the only female member of his pack. "I'm glad you ran with us for as long as you did, Jo. I hope you found what you were looking for."

"Yeah, I did. Thanks, Dean."

* * *

Castiel glanced at the plate Charlie held, staring at the food for a minute before shaking his head and looking away. He still stared out the window, even though he no longer felt that _tugging_ sensation. Whoever he had seen by the lake earlier was gone now, but he didn't feel like joining the other omegas in their embroidery practice.

The redhead frowned, reaching out to run her fingers across Cas's chest as she whispered a quick spell. "You're really not hungry, are you?"

Cas shrugged and stared at the hand on his chest. He actually felt great; his thought were light and unburdened for the first time since he ran away from home, though he did get a little dizzy if he stood up too fast. He reached for the cup of water on the table next to the window, draining it quickly before eyeing the rose hip tea contemplatively. "I just don't want to eat, that's all."

Charlie placed the food on the table, grabbing Cas's chin and tilting his head down so their eyes could meet. "When was the last time you ate?"

"I don't know."

"He hasn't eaten since we came in here," Gadreel answered, joining his brother and friend by the window. "Nothing tempts him."

Charlie nodded and pushed herself to her feet. "I think I know what's bothering him. Give me a minute. Oh, which bedroom has been used the least by the omegas?"

Gadreel glanced at the three doors in the back of the suite. One led to Max's bedroom, one to Alicia's, and one to the guest room. The twins had lived together their whole lives, but the alpha took a guest room somewhere else in the palace when her brother went into heat. From what he had seen, the boys preferred to use Max's room or the guest room to manage their symptoms.

"Alicia's room has not been used, from what I have seen."

"Alright, fine. Take Castiel and his food in there, get the other omegas into Max's room, and wait for my return."

Charlie stalked out of the suite and past a pair of beta guards. Garth greeted her with a quick wave, straightening at Elvis's growl, as usual unimpressed by the younger beta's friendly nature. Garth was well-known for his impressive tailoring, embroidery, and weaving ability, but he still served guard shifts when the omegas went into heat. The tall, gangly beta considered it his duty.

The young witch was able to find Dean Winchester relatively quickly, his musky alpha scent coloring the corridors from the main entrance to the guest rooms. She caught up to the pack as they entered the small dining room they used, Jo looking up as the omega followed them in. "Dean, I need something from you. Hi, Jo."

"Hey, Charlie."

"Sure, Charlie, what's up?" The two alphas spoke at the same time, glancing at each other and rolling their eyes as they waited for the redhead to answer.

"I need your shirt. The one you've been wearing today."

Dean, who had actually grabbed at the hem of his tunic at the forcefulness of her request, paused. "Why? What do you need my shirt for?"

Charlie glared pointedly, waiting for Dean to finish taking off his shirt before she spoke. "It's kind of an experiment, and if I tell you what I am doing you will waste precious time." She grabbed a small bag off the nearby table, holding it open and nodded for Dean to fold his shirt and place it inside.

"I don't like being left in the dark."

Charlie grinned as she closed the bag, tossing it over her shoulder. "I'll tell you what I'm up to. Later. Probably."

Dean chuckled and shook his finger at the omega. "You're like the annoying little sister I never wanted. You know that, right?"

Charlie grinned as she bounced away, taking her purloined shirt back the way she had come. Jo reached out and punched Dean's arm, offering him a pseudo-annoyed growl. "What about me?"

"You know you're my favorite," Dean purred back, flashing his bright green eyes at the blonde. That was the last Charlie heard before she rounded the corner, hurrying back to Max's suite.

Garth bowed as he admitted the young witch and closed the door behind her. Charlie glanced around, grateful to see that her instructions had been obeyed and the living room was empty of omegas. Holding the bag tightly, she headed for Alicia's room and slipped inside, closing the door and taking a seat on the bed next to Castiel. Gabriel stood near the window and Gadreel sat behind his youngest brother, stroking Cas's arms soothingly as he held the raven-haired omega close to his chest. Gadreel was the only one of the omegas taller than Cas, and the youngest Celestial often found his size reassuring.

"What do you think is wrong with me?"

"How many times did Michael starve you while you were in heat?" At Castiel's startled gasp, Charlie smiled and placed a hand on his arm. "It wasn't hard to guess, though I must admit that I had some help of a psychic nature."

"He left us alone during our first two heats," Cas whispered, dropping his head and nuzzling against Gadreel's shoulder. He knew that the scent of the other three omegas in heat that was affecting him, making him desire physical contact and support, but he couldn't find it in himself to care. "During our third heat he began to ration our food. During our fourth, Gabe was sick and I gave him everything I had. Balthy and Gad did, too. I don't remember eating during a heat at all after that, except for the few strips of jerky I managed in the mountains this winter before our supplies ran out."

"Michael punished Cas the most," Gabriel added, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning against the wall. "He hated being challenged and Cas hated backing down."

"Cas, it looks like you've developed a type of conditioned response to the scent of other omegas in heat. In the mountains, it was your brothers' scents, but here you seem to react to Max and his friends, as well. Your body learned that the smell of an omega in heat meant that you wouldn't get food, so it goes into starvation mode. You aren't hungry right now because your body has just gotten used to not being hungry."

"That's ridiculous," Gabe scoffed. "His body doesn't just shut down because he smells omegas in heat. Gad and I aren't affected, and I doubt Balthy is, either."

"And how many times did you go weeks in a row without food?"

"Never," Cas replied, grabbing Gad's wrist in one hand and reaching out for Gabe with the other. The blonde smiled and took his brother's hand, joining him on the bed at last. He leaned against Gadreel's shoulder and reached up to run his fingers through Cas's hair. "I made sure that they always had food, even when Michael refused to give us enough."

Charlie raised one eyebrow, letting Cas's words sink in until the omegas accepted her point. "Look, if I'm right, then I can prove it and even help you overcome the conditioning." Cas opened his hands and pursed his lips in a clear gesture asking her to continue. Smiling, Charlie pulled her small bag into her lap and opened it.

Cas's reaction was immediate, the omega whining and pulling against his brothers' suddenly iron grips in an effort to reach the shirt in Charlie's lap. Gadreel ignored Cas's struggles, purring softly as he kept the younger omega tucked against his chest. Charlie handed the shirt over as soon as Cas had himself somewhat under control, letting the omega breathe in the scent of his alpha. "Gabe, hand him the plate now."

The blonde reached for Cas's lunch, carefully placing it in his brother's lap and holding a piece of sliced venison up to his lips. Blue eyes locked on the offering as his stomach rumbled, Cas clenching the shirt in one hand as he reached for the food with the other. Gabriel made him eat slowly, offering him frequent sips of tea between bites.

Gadreel turned to Charlie, still supporting his brother while he ate. "How did you know this would work?"

Charlie shrugged. "I've seen this kind of conditioning before, though usually in reverse. In the Coven, omegas don't hide away during heat. The betas learn to ignore it, but our one alpha witch and any half-witch alphas had to teach themselves to control their reactions to the scent. Donald developed a kind of technique where he would associate omega heat scent with pain and it would prevent him from going into rut or really wanting to be near them at all. That technique only worked because his mate is a beta, but Crowley did something similar. He used to carry around these awful berries that tasted like sweat and skunk spray. He would eat them whenever he scented an omega in heat. Now he gets that taste in his mouth whenever he is exposed to one, and it helps him keep his cool. I'd guess that Balthazar's heat won't affect him like that, but I have never seen him react to any omega. Cas's situation is similar."

Gadreel looked around the room, taking a gentle sniff. "This room doesn't smell like omega in heat. That, combined with Dean's scent, helped break his mind free of this condition."

"For now," Charlie warned. "He's going to have to fight this at every meal for the next couple of days. The last day will be the hardest. Just isolate him from the omegas when it's time to eat on the last day, and I'll bring one of Dean's shirts if he needs it. I'd prefer not to, though; having a dominant male alpha's scent in this suite is dangerous for the other omegas."

Cas, who had managed to eat about half his meal, clenched Dean's shirt to his chest. Gabriel moved the plate away, knowing that his brother couldn't manage any more safely. "Thank you for bringing this, Charlie. Do you really think I'll need it again?"

Charlie shrugged. "I have no idea. The scent of your chosen alpha encouraged your body to take care of itself, to be healthy for him. An alpha's scent can heal quite a number of omega mental instabilities."

"Am I unstable?"

Charlie reached out and threaded her fingers with Cas's, smiling gently at the raven-haired omega. Images flashed through her head, fragments of the Celestial's future, and she tried to ignore them to focus on the present. Hopefully it would be easier to control once she met her prophet and formed the bond. "You've been abused, Cas, for your entire adult life. Your brother beat you for years, starved you during your heats, and chased you from your home. You're an omega, born to submit to and care for a more dominant partner, but your life forced you to push that integral part of your personality down until now. Is it any wonder that your mind betrays you like this?"

Gabriel and Gadreel knew what was going to happen before Castiel crumpled, the older two omegas wrapping around their brother as Gadreel moved them to the head of the bed where they might have more room. "Dominant male alpha . . . why would he want an omega that can't even trust his own mind? Why would he want me?"

"He _does_ want you, Castiel," Charlie replied, joining the omega cuddle and resting her forehead on the back of Cas's neck. "He loves you and he wants you, trust me."

"Are you going to tell him?" Cas turned and his soulful blue eyes met Charlie's bright emerald.

"Of course I am." Gadreel held Cas tighter as he struggled against his brothers at the words, growling a rejection. "Hey, calm down! I'm going to tell him because he needs to know what to do if this happens while he's with you. He wants to take care of you as much as you want to take care of him. Dean doesn't see you as broken, Cas. He sees what you have survived, what you became to protect your brothers, and he is _proud_ of you." She felt the omega slowly calm down, accepting her words and relaxing under his brother's gentle ministrations. "Cas, he wants to help you grow into the kind of omega you choose to be, no matter how broken you think you are."

"You're no more broken than the rest of us," Gabe soothed. "I still wake up in the middle of the night and scream, terrified that I won't hear any sound come out."

"I still check you over every night to see if Michael or Raphael have given you any new wounds I need to heal," Gadreel added, flattening his palm against Cas's back as if to test for any twinge of pain, any reaction. "And we all eat too fast, look over our shoulders too much, and spend hours every day convincing ourselves that we _deserve_ to be happy. Dean makes you happy, Cas, and you make him happy. Never doubt that."

The younger omega finally broke down at that, crying into his brother's shoulder as Gabriel cuddled against his back. Charlie smiled, knowing that the tears would help Cas heal, gently extracting Dean's shirt from his tight grasp. "Let him cry until he feels better, then let him stay in here until supper. Make sure he eats before he cuddles up with the rest of the omegas tonight. He's not going to want breakfast, but you have to help him fight through that, then make him spend the whole day with Damian or Jordan. The more he is exposed to omega scent, the easier it will be for him to fight his body's expectation of starvation. I'll come back on the last day around lunch time and check on his progress, okay?"

Gadreel nodded. "We will watch out for him. Thank you for your help, Charlie."

"It's always nice to put my healer training to use." She tucked the shirt back into the bag and headed for the door, hoping that Dean was still in the dining room where she last saw him.

* * *

Dean looked up as Charlie sauntered into the small dining room, waving an invitation for her to join them as they finished their food. Charlie took the seat next to Jo and across from Dean and Sam, grinning as she handed the head alpha his shirt back. "Thanks for that. Going to tell me what you needed it for?" He tossed the shirt over the back of his chair, having already procured another one from his room.

"Yeah. Um, how much do you know about conditioned behaviors?"

Dean shrugged, but Sam leaned forward eagerly. "I think I read something about this once. It was an old book that my grandfather obtained from a raid on Celestial lands. It's when you have a reaction to a sound or smell or something like that, whether trained or reflex."

"Yes. In this specific situation, I am referring to a reflexive or uncontrollable response to a stimulus, a scent. Castiel is reacting to the scent of the other three omegas in heat."

Dean sat up straighter at the omega's name, stiffening at the use of his full name. "What's wrong with him, Charlie?"

"Nothing's wrong," Charlie assured the alpha, smiling gratefully at Sam as he placed a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Something happened, but it's to be expected. Those boys went through a lot, especially Cas."

"I'm listening."

"He's developed a conditioned response to the scent of omegas in heat. He, uh, completely loses his appetite."

Sam connected the dots first, his hazel eyes widening. "They were starved when we met them, and Cas was worse off than his brothers. Somehow, he has associated the scent of an omega in heat with starvation, so his body suppresses his hunger when he smells it."

"Yeah, pretty much. I had his brothers isolate him and I used Dean's scent to snap him out of it. Temporarily, I should say."

"He shouldn't be in there if the scent is affecting him like this."

Sam grabbed his brother's arm and smiled at him kindly. "What other choice does he have? Cas has to break this conditioning, and there's no better place right now than Max's suite. Would you prefer that he starve himself every time he and his brothers go into heat? Hell, that sounds like letting Michael win."

Dean offered a small growl at the thought, shaking his head. "No, we can't have that."

"Don't worry; I gave his brothers instructions on how to help him through this, and I'm going to check on them during the last day. You needed to know what to watch for this summer when they go into heat."

"You think this will happen again?"

Charlie smiled sadly. "Of course it will. These kinds of things can't be healed overnight." She met Sam's eyes, and the alpha nodded in understanding. "You can help him, Dean, but you have to understand that he is very insecure about this. On top of his other concerns . . ."

"You told him that I don't think he's broken, didn't you?"

"Of course I did," Charlie assure the alpha. "You know how much I care about both of you." Her eyes flashed purple for a moment as she caught the edge of a prophetic vision, but she lost it before the image clarified. "I told him that you love him and that you're proud of him. Gadreel and Gabriel were soothing him when I left."

Dean sighed and ran his hand over his face. "As long as he's okay. I wish I could be there for him, help him through this. What am I going to do when he's the one in heat?"

Charlie caught that vision neatly, examining it before smiling and reaching across the table to grab the alpha's hand. "You'll be there for him, I promise."

"You sound awfully sure of yourself."

Charlie glanced over at Jo, who shrugged back. She hadn't told them. "I, uh, I have a way of knowing, I guess."

"Isn't that kinda what you said about Rowena when we first met?" Charlie watched as Sam ran through the possibilities in his mind, clearly searching through any recent conversations and all of his observations of the young witch. "Is there a new prophet?"

Benny leaned back at that, blue eyes locking on the witch. "It can't be. Rowena never told us that a new prophet would rise."

"There was no way for her to know. A speaker cannot see the next prophet. Rowena said the bond broke two days ago, the morning that most of the male omegas in the North went into heat. I think that one of the two young male omegas who became messengers that morning is the new prophet, though I did test Cas, Gabe, and Gad. I doubt Balthy would be the prophet, either, but I will have to test him when he returns."

"So you don't know who the prophet is? And these two male omegas have to be Celestials in order to be Messengers, so your prophet may be living up in the mountains."

Charlie shrugged. "Yeah, pretty much. Rowena and I will have to find him before I form a rogue pack and take him away from the politics of the three lands. He has to be free to see his visions in peace, and I have to be close to him to translate them properly."

"So, what did you see?"

"I saw you and Cas walking across a plain I did not recognize, unfamiliar purple and blue grasses in the background. There were tents nearby, likely the homes of rogues or otherwise nomadic people, and I sensed that your pack mates were nearby. In the vision, I could smell Cas's heat, and I could also tell that you were not in rut. You were calm around him, controlled, in a way that I have rarely seen in an alpha."

Dean grinned. "Cool. I can't wait."

* * *

"Kevin, focus. You were pretty close that time."

The young omega nodded, glancing at his red-white-green patterned necklace as if he hadn't already memorized the pattern. He pulled on his wolf, mentally presenting the necklace to his inner self and asking him to accept it as he felt the change take over. Black and white patterned fur spread across his body, the colored beads slowly fading as he finished the transition.

Alfie cheered and reached out to hug the taller wolf, rubbing his ears affectionately. "You did it! You took the beads into your shift."

" _I did?"_ Kevin glanced down, his tail slowly starting to wag as he realized that his brother was right. _"I did."_

"Very well done, Kevin," Mshindi murmured. "Now you can start working on taking clothes with you into the shift, though I would recommend practicing with something you don't mind losing. You'll tear quite a few tunics before you learn the correct technique."

Kevin shifted back and reached up for his necklace. "This is crazy. How did no one in the north ever know about this skill?"

"Chuck knew, many hundreds of years ago, but the schism between your peoples caused more to be lost than you realized." Mshindi's voice had dropped to his "storytelling" register, and the three other omegas were glad to curl up on their cushions and listen. "I'm not sure how much of your history survived from that time, but the Nomad Tribes remember much more of our past than you do. Before Chuck took over leadership of the northern packs, he spent two hundred years in the south in order to forge treaties that would serve him well as king. We taught him the skill of shifting with clothes, our shamans taught him a few of our most ancient spells, and we promised to follow him and his heir if he ever had need of us."

"Chuck? My father spent _two hundred_ years with your people? And this was before his hundred year rule that ended five centuries ago? How old is he?"

Mshindi shrugged. "He wasn't young when he visited us. He had a plan to combine all of the northern tribes and packs under his rule, and our shamans helped as much as they could. He had powers of his own, something more ancient than what your witches or our shamans practice, but our stories are not very specific about the extent of his magic."

Balthazar leaned back against the wall, closing his eyes as he tried to center himself. "Mshindi, I am finding that I don't really know anything about my father. I rarely saw him as a pup, and he vanished just before my brothers and I went into heat five years ago. This is just . . ."

"You want to know why he would never tell his children about his past? Or why he would not share his skills like fully controlled shifting?"

"Well, yeah, I do."

Mshindi reached into his bag, pulling out a few carved and painted wooden tiles and placing them on the floor between the four cushions. He pointed at the blue stylized howling wolf image first. "You will need a brief education first. This here is the symbol for wolves with unnatural strength, what you call _legacies_ , I believe. Their power comes from their physical might and speed." He pointed at the image of a purple lotus flower with stylized flames rising above it. "This is the symbol of a witch, specifically the magic-users of the north. Our shamans use magic differently, and this is the symbol we have for them." That tile was a runic hand, colored in pale blue, with tiny stars around the fingers and an eye in the center of the palm. "All of our shamans have some psychic ability, even if it is only latent, and the eye represents that."

Balthazar leaned forward and lifted the next tile, a pair of green feathered wings on either side of a seven-pointed star. "This one means messenger, doesn't it?"

Mshindi nodded. "That is your symbol, you and your brothers and Alfie. Kevin's symbol would be the same, but pale yellow with the shaman eye in the center of the star."

Kevin nodded slowly. "Okay, that makes sense. What is this symbol?"

Mshindi lifted the final tile, the front view of a golden-orange wolf with two feathered wings and a golden circle carved above his head. Tiny stars were carved around the image. "This image means _king_. This is your father's tile."

Balthazar stared in shock at the tile, shaking fingers running down the engraved lines. "Father was a _messenger_? _And_ he had magic?"

"And he had near-legacy strength," Mshindi added. "We gave him the title Great Chief, to be counted above all others. This halo is his crown, the golden circlet that the northern packs and tribes granted him when he united the lands. When he lost his kingdom and retreated to the mountains, he sent one last message to my ancestor."

"He told you to look for his heir, the next king," Kevin replied, his white eyes glowing with an unearthly silver light. "The prophecy . . . he knew about it then, long before Rowena told him."

Mshindi nodded as he packed the thin burned-bark tiles back into his bag, pulling out one more and handing it to Kevin. "This one is special, as old as the king tile. This is the symbol of a prophet, though the last one died five hundred years ago."

The image depicted a winged wolf flying over a spiral, the wolf's head tucked against its chest with eyes closed. A singled stylized eye, identical to the one in the center of the shaman symbol, was carved on the wolf's chest, the image colored silver-white. "The prophet is a messenger?"

"Yes, she was. All prophets were omega messengers, whether male or female."

"Why are the wings feathered?"

Mshindi chuckled. "My people assign every person a totem, an animal that represents their spirit. Mine is an impala, which is a creature you do not have this far north. Chuck and all other messengers we met were given bird totems, like the harpy eagle. We learned to associate the few messengers we met with birds, so we give the tiles bird wings."

Balthazar reached for the tattoo on his arm as Kevin asked Mshindi questions about the last prophet. Clearly, the Nomads remembered their history better than the northern packs. He pulled Crowley's image into his mind, hoping that he could keep this conversation completely silent. _"Are you there?"_

" _I'm here, Zar. Your thoughts are in turmoil; what's wrong?"_

The omega swallowed nervously, struggling to focus his thoughts. _"My father . . ."_

" _A messenger? There's an image of a messenger in your mind."_

" _Mshindi said that he was a messenger, yes. He never told us. Why would he hide that?"_

Balthazar felt the alpha shrug. _"Your pack doesn't look kindly on messengers."_

" _Yes, but he was Head Alpha. Who would have dared cross him?"_

" _Being Head Alpha does not protect you from all threats, Zar. Even your father, who had once been king, must have feared retaliation from the alphas of his pack. Mother never told me that he had been a messenger, so it's possible that he kept that secret even when he was king."_

Balthazar looked away, biting his lip. _"Yeah, I guess so. It's not like he could perform the basic duties of a messenger as Head Alpha."_

The omega felt Crowley's full attention wrap around him. _"What else? There is something else bothering you."_

" _Are you in court? Crowley, I didn't mean to interrupt you . . ."_

" _Don't ever think you are interrupting me, Zar. You are the most precious of my subjects and I will make the rest of them wait patiently until I am done speaking with you."_

The omega blushed at that, glancing up at his friends. Alfie chuckled and waved his hand at the glowing purple tattoo on Balthazar's arm. "He's talking to Crowley."

" _You put your court on hold for me?"_

Crowley sent him the sensation of rolling his eyes. _"When are you going to understand how much you mean to me? Tell me what else Mshindi said about your father."_

" _He had magic, something different than what witches and shamans practice. And he had an almost-legacy level of strength and speed."_

Crowley was silent for a long moment, clearly processing that information. Unlike Balthazar, he knew how to keep his thoughts silent when he wasn't actively transmitting. _"I'll need to speak to my mother about this when she returns. I'm not sure she will tell me over a mental link. Do you remember your father ever using any of those powers?"_

Balthazar shrugged, knowing that the alpha would sense the motion. _"No, not really. I never saw him use any magic, and if he was stronger than a normal alpha I would never have noticed. His human form was short, shorter than Gabriel, but his wolf form was the normal alpha size."_

" _What about that worries you?"_

" _Just . . . this is a big deal, Crowley. I mean, being a messenger lost me my home. It almost lost me my brother. What other surprises did he leave us?"_

Balthazar felt strong arms wrap around him, the phantom sensation almost _real_. _"I know that I can't say anything to soothe your concerns, but I don't think you have anything to worry about."_

The omega took a deep breath, relaxing into the phantom touch. _"I know. This is just . . . a lot to take in."_ Alfie and Kevin sensed the change in his mood, flanking the taller omega as they wrapped their arms around him. He smiled at the brothers gratefully, holding onto his silent conversation with Crowley.

" _I think I can do some research into your father before Mother returns, but she's definitely going to be my best source of information."_

Balthazar felt some of the tension in his chest fade, sighing as he leaned against Alfie's shoulder. _"Thank you, Crowley. Any information will help."_

" _I can tell. You're a lot calmer."_

" _Go back to your court, Crowley. I really appreciate it."_

" _I'll see you tonight, love."_

Balthazar started at the word, realizing as Crowley broke the connection that the alpha had sent it without thinking, on instinct. "He called me 'love'," Balthazar whispered, grinning as he looked up at the brothers.

Alfie grinned and ran his fingers through Balthazar's short blonde hair. "Of course he did. That man is crazy about you. Mother's known him her whole life, and he has never been as gentle with anyone as he is with you."

"Or as protective," Kevin added. He hadn't seen Crowley rip Gerald's throat out, but the sight of that body had been enough to convince him that the Head Alpha would do _anything_ to protect his omega. "You're a good match for him, Balthy." He stiffened as a vision flashed through his mind, the colors too vivid and the scents overwhelming. The omega whined and closed his white eyes, taking a breath as Mshindi placed a comforting hand on his back.

"What did you see, my friend?"

"Pink. Orange. It was a lake, I think, though I have never seen colors like that before. It was dusk . . . the sun had almost set. And there was something . . . someone there? I caught a scent, a wretched, miserable, dejected one . . . but there were too many smells mixed together for me to identify the owner."

"Can you pick any individual smells out?"

Kevin shook his head. "I smelled some flowers, I think, but I couldn't identify any specific one. Is it normal for visions to be so spontaneous and unreliable?"

Mshindi shrugged. "I don't know about your northern seers and psychics, but our shamans will take months to learn to interpret their visions. The best thing is just to try to examine each one as it comes to you and push for more details when you are gripped by it."

"Yeah, alright, I'll try. Just give me some time to recover from the headache that these visions like to give me."

"You going to be okay to come out tonight?" The omegas had already planned to sneak out to Balthazar's clearing that night and meet with Crowley again, but Alfie wouldn't force his brother to go if he didn't feel well.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. As long as Mshindi has his tea ready."

The Nomad chuckled and bowed his head in an affirmative. "Naturally."

* * *

Charlie gasped and jumped out of her chair, Jo losing her grip on the omega as the witch's eyes glowed purple. Dean and Sam had gone to take their turns on the guard towers until dusk, both of them needing the distraction from their missing omegas, but Benny had stayed to keep Jo and Charlie company while they waited for Rowena to emerge from her rooms.

Clearly the elder witch sensed the sudden surge of power that gripped her apprentice, emerging from her room for the first time in three days as she dashed into the small library as the power faded from Charlie's eyes. "Rowena!"

"I sensed you catch that prophecy," the witch explained, staring into her apprentice's eyes. "What did you see, Charlie?"

Benny rose to pour Rowena a cup of tea, silently offering it to her as they all returned to their cushions. "I saw . . . a lake. It was orange or pink, maybe. I don't think it was far from here."

Benny nodded. "Coral Lake. It's about three days' run south and east of the capital. The water appears a pink-orange color due to the strange properties of the sand."

"Yeah, okay. Coral Lake. It was dusk, and I could see the constellations in the darker part of the sky. Based on the stars I saw, assuming that they aren't very different from the constellations back home, I would say that it happens within a month of the Spring Equinox."

Rowena nodded, encouraging the younger witch to continue. Astronomy had always been a passion of Charlie's, and clearly it was a skill that would serve her well when interpreting her prophet's visions. "What else did you see?"

"Uh, figures, by the lake. It's hard to see them, because they are silhouetted against the water, but I think there are four of them, huddled together. They look . . . dejected, wretched . . . and I can smell intense misery. Something terrible happened to them, but I don't know what."

"Do you recognize them?"

Charlie shook her head, eyes closed as she tried to fall back into the vision. "It's fading too fast. I can smell something under the pain . . . it's so hard to pull it out . . ."

Rowena placed her hands over Charlie's, rubbing gently. "It's okay, it takes time to build the bond. I'm surprised you can see as much as you can without having met your prophet. Ignore the scents, just focus on what you hear. Can you hear anything?"

"Waves crashing on the lake shore. Birds calling . . . voices? I think I hear voices."

"From the figures in front of you?"

Charlie shook her head, frowning as she squeezed her eyes as tightly shut as she could. "No, the ones in front of me are crying, but they are pretty quiet. The voices are behind me . . . one deeper male voice, and two females. The male . . . I think I am smelling him. It's an alpha. I can't smell the females at all, so they are probably betas or omegas. I can't hear what they're saying but it doesn't sound aggressive."

"Charlie, are the four at the lake omegas?"

The speaker gasped, her eyes flying open as she met Benny's pained gaze. She hadn't even considered the possibility . . . "It smells like the ocean, but it's a lake."

"And the flowers?"

The scents, incredibly weak in her vision and almost overwhelmed by the strange alpha's musk, sharpened in her mind as she suddenly realized that she had encountered all of those aromas before. "Gardenia," she choked out; "honeysuckle, clover, rosemary, and mint."

Benny growled a curse, closing his eyes as he struggled to contain his reaction. "Gadreel smells like the ocean . . . sand, salty water, sea grasses: the works. Gabriel smells like gardenias."

"Balthazar smells like rosemary and mint," Jo continued, wrapping an arm around her partner's waist. "And Castiel smells like honeysuckle and clover."

"You can't tell Sam and Dean," Benny whispered. "What could possibly have happened? What could have driven them so far away from the city?"

"I don't know, I just saw the one scene. But . . . if my reading of the stars is correct, this will happen within a month of the Spring Equinox. I guess it might not be this year, but I got the impression that it will be."

"What can we do?"

Rowena shrugged. "There's nothing to be done, Benny. Sometimes prophets see futures with multiple paths, like the one I told you about the four omegas, and sometimes they just see what will be. This event at Coral Lake, it will happen. Just be there for the boys, and I am sure that you will get through this."

Jo reached across the space between cushions, grabbing Benny's hand in hers and squeezing gently. "We won't tell Sam or Dean, but I will help you keep an eye on them once we leave here. I'm sure that this Coral Lake thing will be easy to resolve."

"Thanks, Jo. I don't want to see Gad in pain, ever. I sure as hell don't want to think about him crying by a lake without me."

Rowena smiled as she took her tea and sipped it. "You must remember that the prophecy is cruel at points, but it does protect these four omegas. They will make it to the end, to the rising of the king, even if they break along the way. You must be there to put them back together, as I have said before. I will do what I can; you know that."

"I do," Benny agreed, relaxing slightly. "I think I'm going to go volunteer to guard the omega wing tonight, see if it calms me."

Charlie chuckled, reaching for her own abandoned mug. "Since I'm sure you'll find a way to talk to Gad, make sure to remind him to get Cas to eat tonight, even if he doesn't want to."

"Of course."

* * *

"Metatron?"

It took a long moment for the old beta to look up from his scrolls, slowly placing his quill back in its stand before turning to face his alpha. Long ago, when he was a younger scribe, the beta had served Chuck faithfully in the capital city, penning treaties and negotiating border disputes with the Head Alpha. When Chuck's first omega twins were born, Gabriel and Gadreel, he had told Metatron that he would leave before the boys went into heat, recommending that the scribe find a new, safer home for his retirement. Malachi had been glad to take him in, respecting him for the work he had done under Chuck even as some of the nobles cursed his name. Metatron would be the first to admit that the treaties he worked on had not always been favorable to the Celestials, but they had been fair, and just, and there had been an uneasy stalemate between the three lands in part thanks to his advice. He was content with his past, but he hoped that he could still contribute to his pack's future.

"Malachi," he greeted, his voice rough from disuse. He rarely left his library anymore, content to pass his days reading and writing instead of joining the younger wolves' hunts and patrols. He was no longer as fit as he had once been, gray stubble covering heavy jowls as he squinted as his guest through weakening blue eyes. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"You remember when I asked about you taking a trip to Spellbound lands?" Malachi always spoke respectfully and gently to the old beta, one of the few alphas in Celestial lands who ever bothered to be kind to him.

"Yes, yes, I remember. When the snows melt, if I remember correctly."

"The snows are melting early; I think you can leave within the week."

Metatron furrowed his brows and glanced outside, running his hand over his belly thoughtfully. "Hmm, perhaps. I don't know about the lower slopes; when the glaciers melt the river to the south can be quite impassable. I would prefer to go due south until I reach the treaty lands before turning east. There are some unsavory characters in north Spellbound lands, and even an old beta like myself may be in danger from them."

Malachi growled under his breath, clearly having forgotten about that particular issue. "Cain's pack. Those beta children of his are a menace."

Metatron tilted his head to the side in agreement. "Lilith is pretty brutal herself. I heard recently that Alastair has joined them sometime since midwinter." Malachi had no idea where Metatron got some of his information, but it was always accurate and reliable.

Alastair. He had been a rogue wolf, wandering Spellbound lands alone for a decade before he made it into the mountains. Malachi had offered him a home the previous fall, but Alastair had been caught torturing a young omega just after the Winter Solstice and had been chased to the border by Malachi's warriors. The Head Alpha had wanted to kill the sleazy Spellbound, but Metatron had reminded him that the treaty prevented the murder of guests from other packs, no matter the insult. Even in the case of murder or forced mating, a tribunal would have to be called from all three packs to mete out punishment. They had both secretly wished that the skeletal alpha would die in the mountains, but clearly he had not.

"I can see why you wouldn't want to risk a confrontation with him. When do you think the streams to the south will be safe?"

"If you could send a scout on the equinox, I would appreciate it. If the report is favorable, I can leave then, However, I worry that it will be three weeks before it is safe for me to travel."

"I understand, old friend. Anna and Lucifer are going to be coming here for the equinox; would you like to join us to greet them?"

Metatron smiled, running his fingers over the tooled leather of his belt. Lucifer and Anna were the only wolves in the main pack who had ever stood up for him or greeted him warmly. "Yes, yes, it would be good to see them again. Did Anna really attack Zachariah for speaking ill of me in the capital a few weeks ago?"

Malachi grinned. "Yeah, she did. It was pretty awesome." He glanced over his shoulder as a servant stuck her head into the room, the girl nodding toward the main wing of the palace. "I have to go; Inias wants to officially ask for my permission to court Sophia."

"You'd let Inias mate your daughter? You've grown soft in your old age, Malachi."

The Head Alpha chuckled. "Perhaps. But the girl is almost twenty-three and she has waited patiently for me to accept the fact that she isn't a child anymore. Her mother and both brothers have gladly welcomed Inias into the family, so I suppose that it is time I did the same."

Metatron was a very weak psychic, his powers barely strong enough to catch the edges of other peoples' visions, but sometimes he could concentrate just hard enough to force a glimpse of the future. This was one of those times. "Sophia wants to breed this year. She wants to give you a grandchild. Your first."

"Can you See that?"

Metatron nodded. "She will have an alpha son, Malachi. And the sight of that baby boy will be enough to convince Azrael to seek a mate of his own, to have pups of his own."

"And Ezekiel?"

"I see . . . his future lies in the south. I cannot see more than that."

"Thank you for what you did see," Malachi replied, bowing as he left. Metatron nodded his farewell as he returned to his scroll. Lifting his quill, he dipped it once before returning to the history he was painstakingly copying.


	13. Relaxed

Chapter 13: Relaxed

* * *

It was too much to hope that they could sneak out two nights in a row without Linda noticing. She was waiting outside their suite just after midnight, arms crossed over her chest and dark eyes glaring holes into the two young omegas and their alpha escort. Crowley, wisely, decided not to brave her wrath, squeezing Balthazar's hand once in encouragement before fleeing the opposite direction, ignoring his omega's whispered, "coward". He had no intention of facing the irate beta if he could help it.

"Get inside," Linda growled, the guards on either side flinching. Even Meg, who was generally unperturbed by anything, shrunk against the wall to avoid being the target of the older woman's wrath. Heads hanging, Balthazar and Mshindi slipped past Linda and back into the omega suite. Kevin and Alfie, who had snuck back in through the window, were seated by the table, their climbing gear in their lap. Clearly, they had been caught.

Mshindi and Balthazar joined the brothers and stared at the floor, no one willing to meet the fury in the beta's dark eyes. As expected, Linda broke the tense silence. "What do you think you are doing? Sneaking out in the middle of the night while two of you are in heat?"

"It was my idea," Mshindi murmured, picking at the bottom hem of the blue tunic Alfie had found for him that morning. "In my land . . . well, you never noticed, I think, but omegas do not hide away during their heat. They take some precautions to reduce their scent, but otherwise they are able to walk among alphas without issue. Your three sons wished to learn more about this practice, and I was willing to show them."

The boys knew the instant that Linda relaxed, Mshindi's reference to _three_ sons reminding her how close Balthazar, Alfie, and Kevin had become. She knew that none of them were used to being constrained during heat, and she had almost expected them to make a break for it at some point. At least with Mshindi's assistance, their escape had probably been a little safer. "That doesn't make me feel any better."

Mshindi grinned and glanced up at the beta spy. "Sure it does. You think of me as responsible, like my father, and you are a little curious how our omegas protect themselves during heat and why our alphas don't jump them."

Linda sighed and took a seat in the circle, crossing her arms over her chest. "Yes, I do want to know that. I'm still angry, but you might as well tell me what you've been up to."

Balthazar waved his hand at the brothers, offering to begin the explanation. "Mshindi told us that we didn't have to be locked away during our heats and that in his tribe the alphas and betas are the ones expected to control themselves, not the omegas. We wanted to see that in action, so . . . wait." He turned to gape at Mshindi, shaking his head almost imperceptibly. "You knew. Somehow, without me even realizing, you led us into meeting with Crowley."

The Nomad grinned, his teeth brilliant against his tar-black skin. "I wondered when you would realize that. Yes, I suspected that Crowley would be in the clearing last night, and I thought that it would be a great test for the three of you and for him."

"How do you always seem to know these things?"

Mshindi shrugged. "I spent a great deal of time speaking with Crowley when he granted me an audience. I could see how much he missed you, and there were dark circles under his eyes that hinted at a sleepless night. It wasn't hard to infer that he had become used to sleeping with you, and perhaps with Kevin and Alfie, and was now having trouble adjusting to an empty bed. I had the same problem during my first assignment after cuddling with my siblings my entire life. It wasn't hard to see that he would try to find a place to relax, a place that reminded him of you, so I sort of tricked you into leading us there."

"You _knew_ he would show up?"

Mshindi raised one finger and waved it sharply. "No, I _thought_ that he might. I didn't lie to you when I said that we were unlikely to run into any alphas while we were out; I just neglected to inform you that one of my skills, one that has made me a great messenger and ambassador, is the ability to read people. I read Crowley correctly."

"And he controlled himself," Kevin added, his white eyes narrowing slightly. "He controlled himself like one of the alphas of your pack."

Linda sighed leaned back in her cushion, all tension fading from her slight form. "I remember your father trying to explain that to me, years ago, but as a female beta it never really mattered. Do your omegas really walk around during heat without a care in the world?"

"We have some methods to reduce their scents somewhat, including a tea that your sons have been drinking. I have not seen any evidence that the north grows the herbs that we use to make that tea and the ointment I also brought, but I am sure that we can trade them if it is something your people wish to experiment with. Except for the final day, the tea and ointment can reduce the scent of an omega in heat or an alpha in rut to something significantly more manageable for both subgenders. Crowley controlled himself admirably."

Linda ran one hand over her face. "I don't know how I can be mad at you when Mshindi clearly manipulated you into this."

"He said that it's a skill we'll need. He didn't say why."

Kevin perked up as soon as he realized that his mother was significantly calmer. "He also taught us to shift without losing our clothes. Well, without losing our necklaces, I guess I should say." He reached up to finger the colors beads hanging from his neck. "We can all manage that now, and we would never have been able to if we didn't sneak out."

Linda grinned and leaned forward, taking her son's hand in hers. "You're learning to shift forms with your clothes and supplies? Kevin, that's incredible! I spent a year among them and I could never master that!"

"My father is not the best teacher," Mshindi murmured. "Even my mother readily admits that her skills lie in other fields. Before I became an ambassador to the tribes and later a messenger to the north, I would teach our young pups. This is what I would teach."

The beta bit her bottom lip and held out one hand hesitantly, palm up in a supplicating gesture. Smiling, Mshindi reached out to grab her wrist, nodding. He would teach her.

* * *

Castiel stood by the window, staring out toward the lake, when a gentle hand came to rest on his shoulder. When omegas were alone, they tended to let their guard down, but Cas had never been allowed to have quiet, peaceful time away from his older brothers. He tensed up, a flash of fear threading through him before he forcefully pushed it away and turned to face his companion.

Damian smiled at the younger omega, inclining his head toward the table he preferred and the two cushions resting next to each other. Cas's brothers had all but ordered him to spend time with one of the two omegas, and Jordan was currently asleep in Gadreel's lap, lulled into a sense of calm by the older man's fingers carding through his hair. Damian was more Cas's speed, anyway; calmer, older, and a great deal more centered than the excitable pup.

The Celestial joined his companion, biting his lip as he shifted uncomfortably and stared at the table. Damian was shorter than him, but broader, a life of trade having honed his muscles impressively, even his skin darker from years in the sun. His pale green eyes glowed against that bronze backdrop, his brown hair highlighted in gold and worn loose around his shoulders.

Damian chuckled and twirled a lock of his hair around one finger. "I usually tie it back, but it seems irrelevant when I spend half my time rutting into a pillow while in heat. Glenn constantly tells me how impractical long hair is, but I know that he secretly loves it."

"What's your mate like?"

Damian reached out and gently clasped Cas's bicep, squeezing gently as soon as the younger omega relaxed. He decided to address the younger omega's clear discomfort with simple touches rather than answer his question. "Were you abused by a former partner? Or your dominant parent?"

Cas shook his head. "I'm sorry that I keep reacting like that. I don't mean to."

"Tell me what happened and I'll tell you about my mate."

Cas turned to stare at the table, catching his brother's expression out of the corner of his eye. Gabriel, who had been learning the Wilderness beading techniques, looked up from the tunic he was working on and nodded toward Damian. Max was nowhere to be found, probably in his room suffering through a spike in his heat.

"It wasn't a partner," Cas finally answered. "I've never been courted before Dean accepted my request, and my sexual companionships were incredibly short-term. Michael wouldn't allow me to form any attachments that would threaten his plans for me."

"Michael isn't your dominant parent, is he?"

"No, he's my oldest brother. My parents both left before I went into heat the first time. Michael was always domineering, even before that, but I imagine he thought it was expected of him. He is an alpha, and he was Father's heir apparent more than twenty years before I was born. He, uh, he and I never got along."

"You fought with him?"

Cas chuckled, running his hand through his raven hair. "Yeah, constantly. It seems silly; I'm the youngest and he was the oldest and he certainly expected that I would obey him without question. I did, too, until I was about ten or so. I wanted to run with one of the Celestial splinter packs, one that is fully established in the southern mountains, and he punished me severely for even asking. My brothers saw what had happened, and they wanted to retaliate, but Michael was twice our size. What could we do? Our only sister, Anna, was willing to defy Michael enough to take us on a trip to the south, and the Head Alpha of that pack started training us to fight. After that, every time Michael hit me, I hit back. I never had peace after that, but I refused to bow to his whims just because he was my alpha. I'm not property to be bought and sold."

Damian ran a soothing hand down Cas's back, smiling as the younger omega curled up against his side. _This is how omegas are supposed to interact with each other_ , Cas found himself thinking as the softest of purrs vibrated against his chest. "He shouldn't have treated you like that, Castiel. Omegas aren't property, and we shouldn't be coerced into mating alphas purely for our family's advantage." He paused for a moment, just long enough for Cas to notice, before taking a deep, fortifying breath. "Gabriel told me this morning why you haven't been eating. I'm sorry about that."

"Thank you," Cas whispered, fighting against the burn of impending tears. "I learned not to expect much sympathy back home, and it is refreshing to see that not everyone is a dick." At Damian's chuckle, Cas glanced up to meet his mint green eyes. "Call me Cas."

"Alright, Cas. You told me about your brother, so it's only fair that I tell you about my mate. I met Glenn before my first heat when he brought his trading caravan to the small farming village where I was born. I thought that he looked exotic, with his dyed blue hair and matching eyes, so tall that even Sam would have to look up to him, but lean, like an omega. Honestly, I thought he _was_ an omega when I first saw him, before I was brave enough to talk to him."

"How did you figure it out?"

"I, uh, it was on the day before my first heat when I visited his stall at the market. I didn't know I was going into heat, and my parents couldn't smell it that early. Glenn, however, is one of those rare alphas who can smell omegas' hormonal changes before they go into full heat, and he was _incredibly_ interested in me. He sold me the spices my parents sent me for and warned me that I needed to stay inside for the rest of that week. He was struggling to hold himself back, I could see it, and I think that he almost went into rut right there. I asked him if he would want to see me again when my heat was over, and he said he would find a way to stay in town long enough to do just that. He did, too; changed his whole trading route to spend three days with me when I finished my heat."

"Pretty romantic."

"He does try. It was almost six months before he returned; longest six months of my life. I asked him to take me with him when he left again, but he said I needed to finish growing up first. I thought that was ridiculous; both of my older sisters were apprenticed by fifteen, and my three younger brothers all had promises in town from artisans to take them on when they were old enough. My oldest brother was set to inherit the farm, and I just wanted to travel. When he saw how upset I was, Father spoke with Glenn and asked if he would be willing to take me as an apprentice with the understanding that I was not allowed to mate until I was at least twenty. Glenn agreed to those terms, but I was furious. I didn't want to wait."

"He made you wait five years before mating?"

Damian grinned and shook his head. "He tried to, but I didn't even make it three. We returned to my home village just before my sixth heat and just after my eighteenth birthday. I asked Glenn to mate me before my heat, and my parents reluctantly agreed to let him."

"Why did Glenn agree?"

"He almost didn't. He wanted me to grow up a little more, make sure that the trader life was one that I wanted to lead and that I had every life experience I wanted. I pointed out that I hadn't slept with anyone since I started traveling with him and that I had already made up my mind. He mated me three days later and I asked him to stay with me when I went into heat."

Cas perked up at that, turning slightly so he could meet Damian's eyes. "Did you get pregnant?"

"Yeah, pretty quickly. Glenn was surprised; I don't think he had ever considered the logistics of having pups on the road. We made it work, though; our first son was born six months later."

"Six? Pregnancies last nine months."

"You know, the really cool thing about traveling so much is that you meet a lot of people with a ton of stories. One thing I learned is that the gestation time of your pup changes depending on your form. Human gestation is forty weeks, but wolves give birth in eight to ten weeks. So every week I spent in wolf form was equivalent to almost a month of pregnancy in human form."

Cas stared at the older omega, cobalt eyes wide as he tried to process that information. "I had no idea. Do a lot of people do that; use their wolf form to give birth sooner?"

"Not really, not that I've seen, I guess. I spoke with one woman who had her pup in just over three months because her pack was on the road in the winter and it never really made sense for her to spend any time in human form. I had been riding in Glenn's cart for the first few months of my pregnancy, but I told him that I wanted to run with him at least for a few hours each day. I kept track of the time, and I spent just over three weeks in wolf form, letting me give birth in the fall instead of the winter."

"Did you give birth in wolf form?"

"No. And none of the wanderers or rogues who had used wolf form to shorten their pregnancy had ever done it, either. I wouldn't recommend it; I imagine the pup would be born in form and would grow at wolf speeds. I would have hated to miss anything with Dan."

"How many pups do you have?"

"Three: Dan, Alice, and Kelly. Dan's with Glenn this winter, learning the trade, and the girls are staying with one of my cousins in the city while I'm in here. I had planned to try for a fourth this spring, but Glenn got stuck in the main city longer than expected. I'll ask him at the end of the summer, I suppose, though I hate to be pregnant during the winter."

Cas dropped his head back onto Damian's chest, letting the older omega's steady heartbeat calm him. "I've thought about it, you know. I've thought about what it will be like to be pregnant, to have pups."

"Do you want that?"

"With Dean? Absolutely."

Gabriel looked up as Max emerged from his room, the younger omega disheveled and stumbling, purple eyes dark with his heat-enhanced lust. Gabriel chuckled as Max fell onto the cushion beside him, reaching for a cup of water and draining it quickly. "I forgot how exhausting day four could be."

"You don't think five is the worst?"

"I never remember much of day five, to be honest. I'll be out of my mind for most of it." Max glanced over at Jordan, watching as the boy started to writhe in Gadreel's arms, slowly waking up in the throes of his heat. "It's going to be bad for him, too. Damian will be fine; I haven't seen him lose control yet."

"We'll help you as much as we can, of course." Gabriel looked up from the pattern he had been working on, nodding toward Cas and Damian. "Damian is good for Cas."

"It comforts him to speak with an older omega, one with a mate and pups. I think it will help him clear up a lot of his own concerns." Gabriel nodded at Max's assessment, sighing as he glared at the beaded pattern he had been working on.

Cas had lapsed into silence after the discussion about pups, thinking back over his interactions with his alpha. Something was bothering him, something big, but Damian wouldn't push him to talk. Cas was extremely grateful for the older omega's patience.

"I, uh . . . I have something else to ask you."

"I could tell."

Cas chuckled, the tension in his chest easing somewhat. "Okay, what do you know about this omega space thing?"

"It's amazing but it can also be incredibly dangerous. I'm guessing you're asking because you experienced it with Dean recently."

"Yeah. We've been courting for months . . . recently we kind of started experimenting with things that wouldn't trigger an incomplete mating bond, and some of those things gave me a taste of omega space. Dean never lets me stay long; I think he's worried that I'll get . . . lost?"

Damian shrugged. "Lost is a good way to describe it. Tasha got lost that way, for a very long time, and it created an incomplete mating bond."

"Why?"

"Well, omega space is cause by a rush of endorphins, and it manifests differently for everyone who reaches it. For me, it's like a hypnotic trance and I slowly lose connection to my senses until it feels like I'm flying. It takes me a while to get to that state; most times I'll dip just below the surface, I guess, and get this kind of fuzzy detachment before I come back."

Cas nodded, thinking back to his own experiences. "Yes, it was something like that. It wasn't like flying, but I did feel like I wasn't really in control of my body anymore. Like getting really drunk, I suppose."

"Many omegas can go pretty high, and if you get too detached from your body you'll lost your wolf. Temporarily, calm down!" Cas hadn't even realized that he tensed up at the words as he struggled to rise, pausing at Damian's gentle command. Slowly, endeavoring to calm his racing heart, the Celestial settled back against his Wilderness companion. "There, that's better. What I mean is that your wolf can't follow you into omega space. They get confused and they reach out for any bond, any grounding sensation, until you return. For a short endorphin spike, the wolf will be fine, but a longer one will leave it confused and in pain. That's what happened to Tasha; she was gone so long that her wolf became desperate for another bond and it latched onto the only other person it knew and trusted."

"Asa."

"Yes. Her wolf convinced itself that it was bonded to Asa's alpha, and when she returned she didn't complete the mating. Three days later, it almost drove her insane."

"So unmated omegas should avoid omega space?"

Damian shrugged. "Quick dips are fine, but usually we only trust our courting partner enough to go there. Left alone, the wolf will reach for a mating bond. Once you are mated, however, you can stay in the clouds as long as you like, and your partner's wolf will keep yours grounded."

"So I really should avoid it until I'm mated?"

"It would be best. When are you planning to mate?"

"Five minutes after Dean's father says we can," Cas grumbled, ignoring the shiver of unease that danced down his spine. Some part of him, some small part, still believed that John would reject his suit and that Dean would be forced to send him away, but he ruthlessly pushed those thoughts away. Dean had promised that they would be together, no matter what.

Damian just smiled at his words, leaning back against the wall as he remembered the years he spent waiting for his own mate. "He's lucky to have you, Cas."

"I'm pretty lucky to have him."

* * *

"You guys have been awfully quiet all day." Dean twirled an arrow between his fingers before knocking it, pulling it back in one smooth stroke and releasing it. The arrow sliced into its target three hundred feet away, the straw target shaking from the impact.

Benny grumbled something under his breath, leaning against his log and fletching another arrow. "I spent the night guarding the omega wing. Guess I'm just not awake yet."

Sam exchanged a charged glance with his brother, some silent communication passing between them as the taller brother took his place on the firing line. "You seem distracted, not tired. Did you speak with Gad last night, maybe hear something that disturbed you?"

Benny grinned, thick fingers expertly tying off the delicate binding on his arrow. "Yes, I did get to talk to him when supper was delivered. I couldn't touch him, of course, but I think that he slept better knowing I was nearby." He let his words fade off, intentionally not answering the question that Sam had been subtly asking all morning.

"We're not going to tell you, Sam, so you might as well stop pushing," Jo growled, cursing as she knapped a bad point that she couldn't reshape.

The brunet grunted in agreement and fingered his bowstring. "I know how stubborn you can be. Can I trust that you would tell us if it was something dangerous?"

Jo turned to Benny, raising one eyebrow. "Yeah, if it was dangerous, or if situations change and it becomes an issue, we will tell you."

"Hey! Mind if I join you guys?"

The four wolves looked up as Alicia strode onto the field, a bow held in one hand and a quiver of arrows in the other. Her long, confident stride seemed a bit off, and something in the way she almost met his eyes convinced Dean that she needed to let off some steam. "Sure, pull up a target," Dean replied, nodding as Sam took position on the line far enough away that Alicia could stand between them.

The alpha nodded in thanks as she took position, her curly brown hair pulled out of her face as her dark indigo eyes measured the distance to her first target. Raising her bow, Alicia neatly sunk four arrows into the middle target before she spoke. "I'm going with you to the border. Max, too. We'll be spending the spring and most of the summer in Spellbound lands."

Sam turned to face her, one eyebrow raised. "I thought Wilderness alphas weren't allowed in Spellbound lands. Why would they welcome you?"

Alicia shrugged, lowering her bow. "I'm half Spellbound, and my mother's agreement with Crowley allows any and all of her pups to cross the border under his protection. He has the same agreement with her, though he doesn't have any pups."

Dean chuckled. "I hear that he's getting pretty close to that. He's intent on mating Balthazar."

Alicia grinned, finally raising her eyes to meet Dean's. "Good! He deserves to be happy. I didn't spend much time with Balthy before he left to find Rowena, but he seemed to have the perfect level of irreverent disregard for authority to deal with Crowley."

"Crowley's smitten with the boy," Dean confirmed. "Cas told me that one of the palace guards attacked Balthy and Crowley tore his neck out with his teeth. In front of his whole court. I doubt anyone in Spellbound lands questions Crowley's feelings for his omega."

Alicia smiled, glancing east as if she could see Crowley's castle from there. "The court is going to be very different with an omega sitting on the dais with Crowley. I can't wait to see what their pups look like." Something in her gaze softened at the word _pups_ , and Sam reached out to touch her arm.

"Why do you two need to leave so suddenly?"

"Well, for one, Rowena needs some extra witches to perform the Equinox ritual at the border. She won't make it back to her lands for it, so the Coven will run it without her, but she insists that she has to conduct her own smaller ritual at the same time. Max is a full witch and I'm half, so with Mother, Rowena, and Charlie we should be able to manage it. Normally Charlie would stand in omega position, but she said that a recent change in her powers will let her stand as a naturally born witch. We'll have the four boys and one of our local omegas with us to stand in the center of the circle and power the fertility part of the spell. After that, Mother will return home in the hopes of breeding this heat season."

"That's the real reason you two are leaving?"

"Yeah. We were here last time Mother bred, and it was uncomfortable for all of us. Max and I thought it would be better for everyone if our parents had free run of the house when the female omegas go into heat." She lowered her bow, staring at the engraved wood as she bit her lower lip. "Mother lost her last pup, and she was devastated. Rowena promised her that she would be able to have another, and we want to make sure she has the best chance possible."

Sam reached out and placed a gentle hand on Alicia's shoulder. "It's not your fault your mother had a miscarriage, Alicia. It happens sometimes."

Benny moved to the young alpha's other side, wrapping a lose arm around her waist as his gentle vanilla and sandalwood scent helped soothe her. "Anyone can have miscarriages, even omegas, despite the fact that society tells them that they are meant to be bred."

"I know," the half-witch whispered, "but Max and I still think she will have more luck if we aren't here. We already told her, and she is willing to let us stay in Spellbound lands for a couple of seasons if she is successful."

Benny smiled and tightened his grip slightly, Alicia glancing up into his eyes at the action. "If Rowena promised your mother another pup, cher, then she _will be_ successful."

"What did Rowena promise you?"

Benny grinned, instinctively glancing over Alicia's head to meet his own leader's forest green eyes. "Not her, but Charlie. She promised me twins with Gadreel. A boy and a girl."

Dena chuckled, running a hand through his hair. "That's great, Benny. You've always wanted pups of your own. Have you picked out names?"

"Dean, we aren't even mated yet." Dean raised one eyebrow in disbelief until Benny relented. "Okay, yes, Gad and I talked about names. It seems a little silly, to name pups that aren't even conceived yet, but we did agree that the names should both start with T. We didn't get any further before he went into Max's suite."

Alicia raised her bow again, glancing at Dean out of the corner of her eye as she released another arrow. "What are you going to name your pup, Dean?"

The older alpha blushed, the dark color bringing out the freckles on his cheeks. "Geez, Alicia; Cas and I haven't talked about that at all. He did tell me that he wants pups, but we didn't really talk about names or anything. I just hope the little one looks like Cas."

"What about you, Sam?"

The taller alpha froze at Alicia's question, his fingers tightening imperceptibly on his bow as he struggled to answer. "I'm, uh, not ready for that."

"Gabriel is beyond ready for it," Jo pointed out, testing the balance of one of her knives before throwing it across the field into one of the painted targets. "His bond with you is incredibly strong, and he will do anything to make you happy. If you tell him that you will never breed him, Gabe will still be content with only you, but it isn't what he wants."

Sam sighed and turned away from the archery range, placing his bow gently on the ground as he took a seat on the log Jo recently vacated. "I know what he wants. And, despite my trepidation, I love him enough to give it to him. I just . . . I don't feel ready."

"Neither do I, and I'm twice your age," Benny argued. "Nobody's saying that you should breed him tomorrow, just that you should one day. Think about what your pups will look like."

Sam smiled dreamily at the mental image. "They will be so beautiful. Can't you just imagine a little boy who looks like me, but with Gabe's golden eyes?"

"Or a girl that looks like him," Alicia posited, "with your sunflower hazel eyes. She'd be a little heartbreaker, for sure."

Sam grinned, clenching his hands on the edge of the log as he let the image of that child blossom in his mind. "I can see her. Maybe you're right; maybe I could be ready."

"That's the spirit!"

As the conversation continued around the thought of pups, Dean smiled at the mental image of his pack growing, youngsters running alongside their parents and growing up in the wilds of the forest, as he had always wanted to. Despite his position as Wilderness heir, he still entertained the fantasy of living in the forest for the rest of his life, Cas and his children by his side. Sam and Benny would join them occasionally with their own mates and offspring, and they would find a way to visit Crowley and Balthy and their pups, but mostly it would just be his family. It was his wildest, most desperate dream.

* * *

Kevin and Alfie stared across the table at their mother, Balthazar and Mshindi waiting patiently off to the side. Linda narrowed her eyes and Kevin glanced away, whining low in his throat. Alfie grabbed his brother's hand and squeezed reassurance, both of them meeting Linda's gaze again with a new steel in their eyes. Sighing, the beta looked away and nodded, the entire silent conversation finally concluded. "Fine."

"Great!" Kevin clapped his hands and rose from the table, grinning at Alfie and nodding toward his room. "Alfie and I will go down the wall like usual and meet you three and Crowley in Balthazar's clearing. We'll bring the fire supplies like last night."

"Wait," Mshindi called, reaching into his bag and pulling out a colorful jar. "Tonight your scent will be stronger than we would normally expose an alpha-in-training to. Use this ointment on your scent glands, all of them." Alfie's eyebrows shot into his hairline and he cleared his throat. Mshindi nodded, waving a hand at the slender brunet's crotch. "Yes, including your genitals. Hurry up now, so we can get going."

As soon as the two embarrassed young omegas covered their scents, they slipped out of Kevin's window and headed for the back gardens. Mshindi and Balthazar, dressed in leather fighting clothes, followed Linda out the front door, bowing to a confused Meg as they passed. "My boys are having a hell of a time with their heat tonight," Linda explained, glancing over her shoulder at the closed door to her suite and wincing. She was really quite an amazing actress, a skill that had won her the title of Crowley's best spy. "I thought these two deserved a break for a few hours while Kevin and Alfie are taking care of themselves."

Meg snorted and nodded, having watched over her fair share of omegas in heat. Charlie was the worst, especially since she was exclusively attracted to female alphas. She spent her entire heat in Meg's arms, nuzzling her and begging for relief that the beta simply couldn't provide. If the howls that she heard from the omega suite were anything to go by, Alfie suffered even more during his heat than the young witch. "We'll guard them, Linda; don't worry."

"I never do when you're here," the older beta purred, smiling at the warrior as she led the boys away. "I really am quite fond of that girl," she added as soon as the trio were out of earshot. "It's a shame that she's in Rowena's pack and only comes to town a handful of times a year."

"I'm going to miss her when I leave," Balthazar murmured, fighting back the tightness in his chest that always came over him at the thought of leaving Spellbound lands. "I'm going to miss all of you."

Linda wrapped a comforting hand around Balthazar's lower arm and squeezed gently. "We're going to miss you, too, Balthy. But you won't be gone forever; as soon as you and your brothers get everything sorted out with John Winchester, you can return and become Crowley's mate. I can't wait to see that day."

"I have a feeling that I will still be here to see it, too," Mshindi added, thinking back to the gift of beaded mating day jewelry he had given Crowley. "It will be quite the event."

"A Head Alpha taking a mate . . . it has only happened once in recorded history," Linda added. "All of the Heads of each pack have already been mated, often with pups, when they took over their lands. The last one to do so, the only one I know about, was your father when he accepted Naomi. That was . . . almost fifty years ago now."

Balthazar nodded. "Yes, Metatron's told me that story once or twice. He was there, though he was very young. I don't even think he had presented yet. He said that my parents' marriage was mostly a political alliance; the southeastern pack at that time was threatening to break away, so Father accepted the oldest non-alpha pup of the Head of that pack to become his mate. Mother was always cold and aloof to Father and mildly protective but not caring toward us, but she did seem to love my older non-omega siblings. Of course, her birth pack is gone now; Crowley decimated them and brought you Alfie to raise."

"This war has been tough on all of us," Linda replied softly.

"I won't have a mate I don't love. I won't have a family as dysfunctional as the one that raised me." Balthazar clenched his fist as they reached his clearing, somewhat glad that they had elected to walk in human form even if it took longer. "My pups will know that both of their parents love them, and they will never suffer the kind of abuse that my brothers and I endured."

"Of course they won't," Crowley assured him, emerging from the shadows of the trees as the three wolves entered the clearing. Balthazar smiled gratefully and embraced his alpha, the tattoo on his arm tingling slightly. It had been doing that whenever they were near each other for two days now, ever since Crowley had formally accepted his courtship request. "What has you so worked up, darling?"

"Just thinking about my parents. They had an arranged mating, and it wasn't ever more than that. I was just thinking how lucky I am not to have been forced into that kind of relationship. When Michael told us his plans, the alphas he wanted to sell us off to, I never questioned my fate, but I find myself looking back on my parents' relationship with horror. I never want that for me, or my brothers, or my pups."

"And you won't. I can assure you of that." Crowley stiffened as he caught the scent of the two younger omegas, burying his nose in Balthazar's neck for a moment as he let the rosemary-mint aroma calm him. "Day four. I am so not prepared for this."

"They have extra blockers tonight," Mshindi assured the alpha. "I know that this is a lot to ask of you, but you have more self-control than I have ever seen in a first-timer." Crowley grumbled something semi-unkind, but he pulled away from Balthazar and turned to greet the two young omegas. He also reached out and took Linda's hand, kissing it gently and grinning as the beta's eyes narrowed.

"Kevin, go ahead and get the fire started; I have a surprise for you tonight."

As soon as the flames were bright enough to illuminate the clearing, Crowley reached into his supply bag and pulled out a heavy leather harness. It looked like something that a draft horse would wear, though there were not many of the beasts in the mountains and Balthazar had never seen their tack up close. "What is it?"

"Maggie and Meg helped me adjust a harness to fit a wolf, specifically an omega messenger. There are buckles to adjust the size of the straps, so all three of you can fit in it, and there is a small set of straps for a rider to wear that will attached here on the sides of the saddle part." Crowley pointed at the various sections of the gear, smiling as Balthazar's eyes widened.

"This is to let someone ride us safely," the omega realized, reaching out to run his fingers over the expertly stitched leather straps. "This is amazing."

"It was Mother's idea, to be fair," Crowley admitted. "She told me that messengers would have to carry passengers from time to time, often their own flightless pups, so these harness systems were very common in the days of the king. These straps ensure that the passenger will not fall off, even if the messenger has to dive very quickly or bank away from a threat. You'll need to test them, though, if you are willing."

"Of course I am! I can fly across the clearing, very low, so that if my passenger does fall off it won't be a long drop. Do you want me to carry you again, Crowley?"

The alpha grinned and shook his head, watching as Balthazar stripped down to his under shorts in order to shift. He still hadn't mastered pulling clothes into his wolf form, though he could now reliably manage the beaded necklace. "No, I know that I am heavy enough to tax your strength, and I would hate for the test to end because of my size. I thought you might try a much lighter load; Linda is the smallest of us and shouldn't strain you at all."

"Me?!"

Crowley grinned as Balthazar completed his shift, the white wolf almost glowing in the light from the campfire. "It's perfect. Your sons are too small to reasonably carry someone my size even on the ground, and they've only been flying for a couple of days so a passenger is out of the question. Balthazar is one of the biggest omegas I've ever seen, so this should be an easy test for him and this riding gear."

" _You think I'm big, you should see my twin brother,"_ Balthazar purred, turning his head so he could watch as Crowley slipped the harness around his chest. _"He's not more than seven inches shorter than Dean Winchester at the shoulder."_

"Holy hell. Really? Damn." Crowley ran his fingers through his omega's iridescent white fur, smiling as the colors changed around his hand. "Those Winchesters grow their alphas huge, or so my mother tells me. Legacies tend to be much larger than their mundane companions. Your brother must be about my size in wolf form, then."

" _Yeah, about. I think he might be a bit taller. Gabe and Gad are smaller than him but bigger than me, though Gabe not by much. It was always a comfort to be nearly the right size in wolf form, even if my human form is a bit above the normal omega range."_

"Well, I'm a bit short for an alpha, so I guess we fit together pretty well." Crowley settled the small, thin saddle in front of Balthazar's shoulders, cinching the wide girth and buckling the chest strap carefully. He had added a heavy buckle on the back of the saddle for another wide strap, a long one that reached down the wolf's spine to his lower back. It attached to a wide belt, a safety mechanism that Rowena had recommended Crowley add.

Balthazar craned his neck as Crowley tightened the belt, rolling his blue eyes warily. _"You catch my dick with that thing, I'm never giving you pups."_

Crowley chuckled and ran his fingers over Balthazar's furred sheath, grinning unrepentantly as the wolf snapped at him. "Don't worry, I made the length adjustable." He moved the buckle forward one hole on the back strap, tightening it down and slipping his fingers underneath it to test the result. "There; how does that feel?"

" _Snug, but not too tight. How will my passenger stay on?"_

"She'll wear a wide belt that buckles to your saddle in three places. As long as the leather is kept oiled and put away safely, this harness should last for some time."

"I assume you're ready for me now." Linda stepped forward, eyeing the belt in Crowley's hands with no small amount of trepidation. She was not happy to be part of this experiment, but the alpha was right; she was the smallest and the safest passenger for Balthazar to carry. She raised her arms and let Crowley fasten the belt around her waist, climbing onto Balthazar's back as soon as the omega crouched down closer to the ground. Crowley attached the three straps, letting Linda test their connection before Balthazar rose to his feet.

"Open your wings for me, Zar; let's see if the straps are placed correctly."

The white wolf nodded and flexed his shoulders, freeing his wings and slowly stretching them out to the side. Linda watched in amazement, reaching out to run her fingers over the soft white fur. "They are bigger than I thought they'd be."

"Zar says that they have to be big enough to carry him. Alfie and Kevin have slightly smaller wings, though they are sufficient for omegas of their size." At Crowley's words, the two young males shifted forms, opening their own wings and comparing them to their friend's. "He wants to know if you are ready to fly, Linda."

"As ready as I'll ever be, I suppose."

Crowley nodded, tilting his head as Balthazar spoke again. Linda couldn't hear the Celestial, but Kevin's yipped response came through loud and clear. _"Then what do you suggest? Well, no, she's going to be holding on tightly with her legs already so that won't work."_

" _You won't be able to hear her very well at your normal flying speed,"_ Alfie added. _"What about your shoulder? Would you feel it if she tapped there?"_

Linda placed her hand on the side of Balthazar's shoulder blade, tapping three times. The wolf shifted under her and turned to speak to Kevin and Alfie again, Crowley finally translating his omega's words. "He wants you to tap his shoulder three times if you wish to end the flight. If you are willing to let him fly above the trees, squeeze with your legs and tap once with your hand. If you cannot relax enough to do that, he will just fly you in a circle around the clearing and return here. Kevin and Alfie will try to keep up."

Linda nodded and tapped Balthazar's shoulder once. The white wolf flexed his wings before taking off, his ground speed pretty impressive for an omega, Kevin and Alfie struggling to keep up. Linda took the few moments they were on the ground to adjust her seat, settling back on her tailbone and pulling her shoulders back moments before Balthazar leapt into flight, his transition smooth and perfectly controlled while the younger omegas struggled to follow.

Linda forced herself to take a deep breath as they rose into the air, amazed at how smooth the young omega's flight was, despite the fact that he had only been practicing for a couple of months. She felt herself relax, enjoying the steady warmth of the wolf beneath her and the chill of the air rushing past as she squeezed his sides with her legs and tapped him on the shoulder.

Balthazar yipped happily as he flapped his wings a couple of times, rising above the trees as Kevin and Alfie fell back. The beta turned aback toward the palace, her breath catching in her throat at the incredible view as Balthazar banked slightly to the left and turned back toward their fire. Linda buried her fingers in the white wolf's soft neck fur, settling deeper into the saddle as Balthazar curled his wings back and landed, loping back to their companions.

"Well, what was it like?" Crowley reached up to unbuckle Linda's straps, helping the petite beta dismount before removing the saddle and harness from his omega.

"Incredible," Linda sighed, leaning against Kevin as her sons rejoined the group. "I can't imagine what it would be like during the day, being able to see all the way to the horizon. You can probably see the northern mountains if you fly high enough."

"I can," Balthazar assured her, stretching his back and checking himself for any injuries. He had been sore for an entire day after carrying Crowley and he wasn't eager to repeat the experience. "But I have to take off far away from the city or the guards might notice me." He nodded toward Mshindi, smiling at the southern omega. "I promised our guest here a daytime flight once the boys' heats are over, and I'll probably fly north far enough for him to see the mountains."

"We have a few tall peaks where I come from, but none in Plains Walkers' land. And they are each just one mountain, rising above the land. Balthy tells me that the mountains of his birth are hundreds standing close together, snow capping each one. I have never seen such a thing, and I feel the need to do so."

"They're fun to look at, but not fun to travel through," Kevin groused. "Especially not in the middle of winter when the snow goes above my head!"

Balthazar shrugged. "You get used to the snow. The summers in the northern peaks are pretty amazing and the lakes are fed by glacial runoff so they tend to stay cold year-round."

"I'd like to see that," Mshindi murmured, his dark eyes distant as he reached up to wrap his fingers around the large white shell hanging from his beaded necklace.

Kevin's white eyes flashed silver in the uncertain firelight as he stumbled forward, catching himself by grabbing Alfie's shoulder as a vision flashed through his mind. "What did you see?"

The half-Celestial shook his head, nodding gratefully as his brother helped him sit on a nearby log. "I don't know, Alfie. I saw Mshindi standing next to a tall man against a backdrop of snow, but I couldn't identify him or catch any details of the location. I have no idea why I keep seeing these half-formed images but they are driving me crazy."

Mshindi crouched in front of the younger omega, staring into his white eyes. "Did you smell anything that would help identify this other man? I'm honestly surprised that I have featured in one of your visions, especially given how short our association has been thus far."

Kevin grinned as he searched for the image, grimacing as the memory eluded his grasp. "Yeah, I can't smell anything except pine, but the mountains are covered in evergreens so that doesn't mean anything."

"What kind of pine? Maybe I can help identify the mountain in question if I know the specific trees in the area."

Kevin glared at Balthazar, his face twisted into a clear _are-you-fucking-kidding-me_ response. "It's pine trees. They smell like pine."

The Celestial shrugged, raising his hands in surrender. "You lowlanders can identify a hundred species of deciduous trees; why would you think that it would be different in the mountains? We have blue spruce, red cedar, juniper, yellow pine, longleaf pine, white fir, blue fir, jack pine, western hemlock, loblolly pine, weeping cypress, white pine, white spruce, black pine, or any of a variety of smaller pinyon trees. They don't smell the same."

The other five wolves stared at him in something that was half-shock and half-wonder, the tableau broken when Crowley chuckled and stepped forward to pull Balthazar into his arms. "You're such a nerd."

The omega grinned as he nuzzled his alpha, letting Crowley's spicy scent wash over him. "You know you love it."

"I love everything about you, Zar," Crowley purred, running his fingers through the omega's hair. "I can't wait until we're mated and I can prove it to you."

Kevin felt a tremor of fear at the words, a pseudo-premonition, but he pushed that shiver away. He was determined not to let his newly active psychic powers control him.

* * *

"Welcome to day five."

Cas chuckled, sipping his tea as he watched Jordan growl and writhe on the floor, the young omega displaying his neck and flashing his belly in an effort to attract _any_ mate. He had long since shed his shirt and pants, clad only in his loose cotton undershorts as his heat manifested as an actual increase in his body temperature. If he wasn't locked up in the omega wing, his heady, sweet scent and provocative gyrations would be too much for most alphas to ignore, though he would learn to control himself in future heats. Cas remembered his own first, brutal week as a breedable omega and his desperation for it to _end_ , but there was nothing he could say that would help the young pup get through this last day.

"Were you like that your first heat?"

Damian shook his head, having picked at his breakfast that morning. Most omegas had little to no appetite on their last day, every fiber of their being encouraging them to _mate_ and get out of heat at last. "It was pretty bad, especially since I lived in a much smaller town than this and I knew everyone's scent by heart. I could smell some of those alphas I had known all my life through my window, and my new feelings toward them shocked me. When my heat was over, I understood the difference between what my wolf wants, especially when I'm in heat, and what I want. I told a few of those alphas what I had been thinking when I was locked away, and they assured me that they understood my predicament and would never have taken advantage of it. Glenn told me, many years later, that he had intentionally avoided my side of town because he wasn't sure he would have been able to control himself. What about you?"

"Oh, gods, I was terrible. It hits me worse than any of my brothers, and they had to tie me up on my fifth day because I could smell alphas even in our secluded wing of the palace. Normally, I wouldn't have anything to do with them, but my heat makes me desperate."

Damian shrugged, shifting uncomfortably on his cushion. "You'll be mated before your next heat, and everything will be easier then. You'll desire your mate, and you'll call out to him, but you won't be attracted to any other alphas or betas." He watched Cas sip his tea one more time before abandoning the cup on their small table, his own breakfast still untouched. "You aren't eating anything?"

"I can't. Even the smell of the fruit is too much for me. Charlie said that she would come in to check on me today; maybe she can help again."

"Did you try going into Alicia's bedroom again?"

Cas snorted, waving at the omega on the floor nearby who had stopped rolling around on the floor and had started rubbing against Gadreel, the older omega desperately trying to get the pup into the guest bedroom. "It all smells like him, now. His scent is overpowering yours and Max's today, and I'm honestly surprised that half of the city isn't outside trying to get in."

"The first heat smells the sweetest, and Jordan's natural scent is pretty flowery to begin with. I can't wait to see what kind of mate he attracts someday." Damian sighed and pushed himself to his feet, his scent spiking at the movement. "If you'll excuse me, I need to take care of this."

Left alone with his untouched breakfast and his own thoughts, Cas glanced toward the window and ran his hands through his dark hair. "I miss you, Dean."

* * *

"Can't I just give you my shirt like last time?"

Charlie shook her head, sipping her tea as she pointed at the low couch against the windows. Sighing, Dean stretched out across the cushioned surface, rubbing his scent on the fabric before moving on to the floor cushions. "Jordan's in quite a state today. Even the lingering hint of an alpha's scent might be too much for him. First heats can be hard on male omegas."

Dean chuckled as he rubbed his neck against one of the smaller pillows before tossing it on the couch. "Only for the males?"

The young witch shrugged. "It wasn't so bad for me or any of the female witches I've seen in heat. The males though . . . maybe it's because they're rarer and they have a biological need to prove their worthiness to be bred." She glanced up from her tea, emerald eyes glowing through the steam as Dean slipped out of his shirt and rested it on the arm of the couch. "I hear that Cas can't hold himself back if he scents an alpha while he's in heat. His brothers had to tie him up during his first one to keep him from escaping the omega wing of their palace."

Her soft, sultry words had the desired effect as the alpha's scent spiked, his heady cinnamon and apple musk threaded with the slightest touch of arousal. Dean raised one finger in a scolding gesture, jade eyes narrowed at the slight omega. "That's not fair."

"I really need this room to smell like you. Gabe said that Cas didn't eat much for supper last night and he hasn't touched his breakfast. Jordan's scent is much stronger and sweeter than I thought it would be, and even Alicia's room is lousy with it. I'm hoping that I can bring him in here and shock his system, then take him back to the omega wing and have him eat there."

"Is that going to help Cas get through this heat food aversion thing?"

Charlie shrugged, leading Dean out of the small sitting room and back into the main wing of the house. "I've never treated a case as severe as this, to be honest. I may not be around the next time he goes into heat or is around other omegas in heat, so I'm hoping that you and Gabe can continue this treatment on your own." She gulped back the last of her tea, reveling in the sharp burn as is seared its way down her throat before turning to face Dean in the small hallway. "I don't think you should breed him during his next heat."

The alpha's eyes widened in shock as a bitter note of despair colored his scent and he whined softly under his breath. "Why?"

Charlie placed a gentle hand on Dean's arm, squeezing gently until she felt some of his tension ease. "I don't say it to be cruel, Dean; you know that. You and Cas are going to make beautiful little babies and I can't wait to be the weird witchy aunt to them. But he isn't healthy enough to breed, mentally. What will happen when he's three months pregnant and the male omegas in the city go into heat? He'll go into starvation mode and stop eating again, and there might not be anyone there who can help him through it. Do you want to risk him losing the pup?"

"No! No, of course not."

"You should wait until he can make it through an entire heat cycle without missing more than one or two meals."

"How long will that take?"

Charlie shrugged, running her fingers through her fiery locks. "I don't really know. The female omega heat is only a few weeks away, then he and his brothers have a heat four or so months after that. You should know by the fall male and female heat cycles whether he is recovered enough to try for a pup this winter."

Dean nodded slowly, his gaze distant as he counted the months in his head. "You think he could be well enough by winter?"

"Yeah, as long as you and his brothers keep helping him through this food aversion. And watch Gabe, Gad, and Balthy for any similar symptoms, though they didn't seem to have suffered as much as he did during their previous heats."

"Yeah, I can do that." Dean ran his fingers through his hair and chuckled, grinned wryly at the young witch. "I must sound like some damn knot-head alpha, only worried about when I can breed my omega."

"It's not a crime when he's excited about pups, too. Trust me, he's going to be more upset that he has to wait than you are."

Dean chuckled. "Yeah, I know."

"Alright, so I'm going to go grab your boyfriend and try to get some breakfast into him. Wish me luck!"

* * *

"Is this what day five is like for Plains Walkers?"

Mshindi shrugged as he worked on a beaded chest piece, focusing on the intricate pattern he was trying to create with some tiny onyx beads Crowley had procured for him. "It's similar. We do gather in one house on the last day, eating a small breakfast of fruits before the younger males start to lose their minds. Mated males tend to be in charge, forcing the younger omegas to eat between bouts and wrapping them up in soft, colorful blankets so they can rest. There's a great deal less howling, though."

The Celestial chuckled as Alfie's voice sounded through the suite again, the notes shriller and more desperate than they had been the first day. "I can't help but pity the beta who lands that boy; he'll go deaf the first heat they spend together."

"But think about how cute his pups will be."

Balthazar nodded in agreement, glancing back at the scroll he had been trying to read for the past hour before placing it to the side. "How will that work, anyway? I mean, there haven't been any messengers in the past hundred years except Crowley's father, and I don't really understand how the inheritance works. I was hoping you might know."

"It's rare for the various empowered wolves to mate each other, and it was rare five hundred years ago, as well. Crowley's parents were a messenger and an incredibly powerful natural witch who also happened to be a speaker. He has a great deal more power than a half-witch should, and he is certainly physically stronger than either of his parents. Those kind of pairings can produce anything."

"What about me and Crowley? Or Dean and Cas?"

"There's no way to know for sure, but a half-witch and a messenger should at least have half-witch pups, if not full witch, and you may even have another messenger. Hopefully you have at least one half-witch, since Linda has told me that full witches are not allowed to rule Spellbound pack and Crowley has expressed an interest in having an heir."

"Yeah, he wants to try to run this pack more like Celestial and Wilderness lands where alpha pups of the Head Alpha will inherit the throne. I can't wait to give him that."

"Invite me back for the presentation of your first pup. Ceremonies up here are so much more extravagant than the ones we have back home, so I can't imagine what that party will look like. Knowing Crowley, the celebrations could last for a whole month."

Balthazar chuckled as he imagined the throne room full of local nobles and visiting dignitaries, all of them dressed in their finest suits and carrying gifts for his pup. "I'll make sure to invite you." He paused for a moment, clearly switching back to his previous thought process. "What about a legacy and a messenger?"

"I'd have to consult the shamans, but I'm pretty sure that particular pairing has never been seen in a thousand years. Chuck's parents were a messenger and a witch, and I think that contributed to his incredible powers. With a legacy and a messenger, I'd think that all of the pups would take after one parent or the other, possibly with the messengers being larger and stronger than usual. I guess it would be the same for both of your brothers who are planning to mate legacies. However, this is the first time the tribes have mixed like this in hundreds of years, so anything could happen."

Balthazar shrugged, jerking as the tattoo on his arm began to tingle. Tilting his head curiously, the omega placed a hand over his mark and cleared his mind. _"Yes?"_

" _Zar, Mother just contacted me. She has asked that I send an omega to the border with you for the spring equinox festival. She plans to do a small one of her own, and she already has five witches but she needs a fifth omega to join you and your brothers inside the circle."_

" _Okay, who are you sending?"_

" _I wanted to see if you would ask Mshindi. He's the only omega you know who can go with you; I need Kevin and Samandriel to stay here."_

Balthazar chuckled and nodded, knowing that he was projecting that image to his alpha. _"One day I'm going to tell Alfie that you use his full name when you communicate with me."_

" _Zar."_

" _Okay, okay! Yeah, I'll ask Mshindi."_

The omega broke the connection, his eyes clearing as he met Mshindi's gaze. "Crowley wants to know if you want to travel with me, Meg, and Ruby to the Wilderness border for the equinox. He has enough omegas here for the ritual that the Coven is running, but Rowena apparently needs one more and has asked for you."

"I'm honored that the speaker has asked for me specifically. Of course I will go."

"I'll let Crowley know." Balthazar paused for a moment before touching his tattoo again, a slow grin spreading across his face. "I guess you'll be meeting my brothers sooner than I thought."

"I can't wait."

* * *

 **AN:** Between GISH, getting ready for my convention, and attending #SPNNC, I haven't had as much time to write recently as I wanted. After publishing the first chapter of _Mulanatural_ , I had to pause for a while, but now I'm back! This was a much calmer chapter than the previous ones, but a lot of what was revealed here is foreshadowing for the future.

Important points: Cas's day four conversation with Damian, Alicia & Max going to Spellbound lands, Benny's comment, Dean's wish, Kevin's vision, Charlie's conversation with Dean, and Mshindi's speculation about pups. Feel free to speak up if you think you know where any of those are going!

Also, I can't wait to write Sam & Gabriel's pups. I'm just sad that I have to wait so many hundreds of thousands of words to get there.


	14. Reunited

Chapter 14: Reunited

* * *

Dawn bloomed bright and cheerful, no clouds to mar the beauty of the late-winter sun, its gentle warmth caressing the pile of sleeping omegas. The broad streamer of light peeked through the huge, southeast facing window, glimmering off the distant lake and interrupting the raven-haired man's bizarre dreams. He whined an objection to being so rudely interrupted, but the younger omegas had not wanted the curtains closed the night before, so he could not escape the proof that morning had come at last. Bright cerulean eyes fluttered open, squinting against the light as his pupils slowly constricted to make it at least somewhat tolerable.

Cas took a deep breath, freezing as he realized that the overwhelmingly sweet scent of omega heat had finally faded, leaving behind a spoiled, cloying reminder of the insanity that day five had been. Underneath his head, Damian stirred, Jordan whining from the older omega's other side as Gabriel rolled over in a blatant refusal to admit that morning had come. Gadreel, who general enjoyed sleeping in as much as his twin, twitched as the sun hit his back, groaning as Cas leaned over to nudge him.

The raven-haired omega carefully extricated himself from the pile, heading for the carafe of water on the table and pouring himself a cup. His stomach rumbled in protest at the lukewarm liquid, clenching quickly to demand more suitable nourishment. He chuckled and rubbed his belly, finally properly hungry for the first time in four days.

"Geez, was that your stomach?" Gabriel rolled over, glancing down as he landed on top of Jordan before reluctantly pushing himself to his feet. "I guess you have your appetite back."

"Yeah, I'm starving."

"Yes, but why does that mean that _we_ have to wake up early?" Gadreel grumbled as he slipped free of the pile, helping Damian to his feet as Max's purple eyes fluttered open and even Jordan began to stir and stretch. "Brother, breakfast isn't even here yet."

"And it won't be," Gabriel added, pouring himself a cup of water. "Charlie will be here soon and take us to the communal baths to get this soured omega heat scent cleaned off while the servants try to clean and air out these rooms."

"It'll be at least a day before they're usable again," Max added, helping the sleepy youngest omega into a sitting position before rising to his feet and stretching. "Alicia may not return for two or three nights, but she generally finds a male beta in town to spend the time with."

"She prefers male betas?"

Max shrugged. "Yeah, betas or omegas, but no omega is going to want to sleep around with an alpha in the days after their heats. A week or so after my first heat, Mom and Alicia took me into town and asked me what kind of mate I might prefer one day. I didn't know, just that I rarely find females desirable, so they taught me how to seduce men. I found that I have a clear preference for male alphas, but I stick with betas for casual hookups if I'm in a city where people know who I am. Alphas tend to be a lot more possessive after just one or two encounters than betas, and I'm not willing to have a relationship with someone who only wants me because I'm Asa's son. I'm actually looking forward to spending a few months in Spellbound lands where I'm just another single omega looking for love."

Gabriel snorted at the witch's words, reaching out to guide Jordan to a chair and handing him a cub of water. "Crowley has no idea what he's gotten himself into by inviting you to his city. Have you been there since your first heat?"

"No. I was just a pup the last time Mom took us to visit that city. This is the first time Alicia and I will be going on our own."

"Are you hoping to find a mate on this trip?" Gadreel helped Damian roll up the blankets they had slept on, piling them neatly on the couch in preparation for the servants to take them away.

"I mean, yeah, it would be nice. I've always wanted to travel, and part of me has believed that my destiny lies away from here. Alicia is Dad's heir, so she'll stay here and rule this town, but I don't think I'll be here for the rest of my life."

A quick knock on the door interrupted any response Max's words might have evoked, Charlie and Rowena entering the room a moment later. "Ah, good, you're all awake. I've sent the boys down to the city to do some shopping for the kitchens, and we're taking the lot of you to the baths to get this stench cleaned up before they return." Rowena pulled Jordan to his feet and shooed the other omegas toward the door as she spoke, Charlie grinning as she led them out of the suite that had been their prison and their protection for five days, winding through a few short corridors before reaching the spacious bathing chamber.

The room was huge, the ceiling two stories tall with windows set high in the walls to allow in light without compromising the bathers' modesty. The floor was tiled in blue marble as it dipped down into a large, multileveled basin, water bubbling up from a smaller, higher pool and flowing down a playful waterfall into the lower one, everything fed by an underground spring and heated by one of Tasha's spells.

Cas stripped out of his clothes and headed for the water, his brothers and the three other omegas on his heels. He slipped below the steaming surface, letting the warmth soak the tension out of his muscles and the scent out of his skin. It didn't take long for the omega to clean themselves, using a variety of lightly scented oils and soaps to remove all traces of soured heat scent and let their own natural aromas shine through once more.

Gabriel pulled himself out of the bath first, gratefully accepting a towel from Charlie as he took a seat on a wide bench against the wall and waited for the other omegas to finish. Rowena handed him a pile of clean clothing as Charlie returned to the water's edge to help Jordan climb out. As soon as all six omegas were clean and dressed, Rowena led them to Asa's office, gesturing for Jordan to enter first before the rest of his heat-confinement companions.

The young omega squealed and dashed forward as soon as he recognized Asa's visitors as his own parents, curling up in his mother's arms as his father chuckled and reached over and patted his shoulder. "Hey son."

"How was your visit?"

Jordan chuckled and nuzzled his mother's chin, still young enough to take comfort from the contact. "It was pretty bad at first, but Gadreel helped me through it."

Asa stood up from behind his desk, patting Jordan's father on the back and waving a hand toward the group of omegas. "Gadreel, meet Ben and Cecelia, Jordan's parents."

Gadreel smiled and bowed to the shorter alpha, glancing at Ben's omega mate and son. "He did remarkably well for his first heat."

Ben grinned and bowed back, running a hand through his dark brown hair. "He's always been nervous about his first heat, ever since he learned about the differences between the subgenders. All of his older brothers are alphas, and his sister is a beta, so he didn't have anyone to help him through this week. Thankfully, Max offered to let Jordan stay with him and learn from more experienced omegas, and we couldn't be more grateful."

Gadreel tilted his head to the side and closed his eyes briefly in response. "He helped me as much as we helped him. I hope I helped him find acceptance and joy in his omeganess."

"You did," Jordan replied, still glued to his mother's side but no longer buried in her arms. Gadreel remembered how needy he and his brothers had been after their first heat, but they hadn't really had anyone to cuddle them, just some small amounts of affection from Anna when she wasn't busy fighting with Michael. He felt a sudden tightness in his chest at the memory, glancing down as Gabriel's hand slipped into his and squeezed gently. They wouldn't be alone anymore, especially not after their heats.

Ben and Cecelia led their son away, thanking Max one last time for his hospitality before they took their leave. Damian hugged Cas one last time, patting the taller omega's shoulder gently. "Glenn is a pretty well-known trader; if you need to find me again, just leave word for him at any town or city and someone on the trading circuit will find us."

"Thank you, Damian, for everything. And good luck with your next heat."

"You, too, Cas. The next time we meet, maybe we'll both have pups."

Cas grinned, ducking his head as he imagined that meeting, Gadreel stepping forward to wrap an arm around his waist as they watched their friends leave. Max joined his father at his desk, pouring himself a cup of tea and pulling a stack of papers closer to sort through. Asa patted his shoulder gratefully, always happy to have his children help him with his administrative duties.

Charlie's soft voice broke the tableau, the young witch grinning mischievously. "Are you ready for your own reunions?"

"Yes," Cas breathed.

"Alright, follow me."

The group headed away from Asa's office, following Charlie back into the guest wing of the small palace to the largest suite on the lower floor that Dean's pack had claimed for their own. As soon as the door opened, all three omegas froze as the scents of their courting partners filled the hallway. Gabriel whined low in his throat, too overcome with emotion to speak, and was instantly wrapped in two long, muscular arms and tucked against a powerful chest.

"Hey, Gabe."

"I missed you, Sam." The alpha chuckled and buried his nose in Gabriel's hair, taking a deep breath as Cas and Benny squeezed past him into the room.

Benny, leaning casually against the window, smiled widely as soon as he spotted Gadreel, opening his arms in invitation. The tallest of the omegas joined the beta, purring gently against his chest as they sank into a pile of cushions together. Cas barely noticed, however, all of his attention on the green-eyed alpha resting casually on the largest couch in the room, a slow smile spreading across his face. "Morning, Sunshine."

"Hello, Dean," Cas replied, proud that he kept his voice steady even if it was deeper and more gravely than usual.

"Come here, sweetheart."

Cas swallowed a whine at that, almost leaping onto the couch before curling up against Dean's side. "I missed you."

"I know, love. It was torture staying away from you. Do you feel more centered now?"

Cas nodded, letting Dean's cinnamon and apple scent envelop him, the aroma of happy omega filling the suite as Charlie and Rowena headed to the table to pour themselves some tea. The servants would arrive with breakfast soon, and they wanted to make sure they got their share before the six men got their paws on it.

"Charlie took me into that room yesterday that smelled like you, and I wanted to see you so badly. I wanted to thank you, though; I was finally able to eat something."

Dean took a deep breath, his scent darkening somewhat as Cas looked up in concern. "I need to talk to you about that, Cas."

"What's wrong?"

Dean smiled and ran his fingers through the omega's dark hair, waiting until his boyfriend was somewhat calmer before answering. "This aversion you have to food when around other omegas in heat isn't healthy. I talked to Charlie and she gave me a lot of instructions on how to help you through this when you go into heat this summer."

Cas's eyes fell, his fingers digging into Dean's fringed vest. He caught the meaning behind Dean's words instantly, biting his lip as he struggled to keep his disappointment out of his voice and scent. "You . . . you don't want to breed me this year?"

"Cas, I want to breed you right now and every minute I'm with you."

The omega relaxed slightly, but his scent was still tinged with despair. "But you aren't going to breed me."

"I can't, Cas, I'm sorry. Charlie said that you'll still be reacting to the scent of heat for at least a few more cycles, so I'm going to help you through it. She says that you have to be able to get through most of your meals before you worry about getting pregnant."

"Missing a couple of meals won't affect me or the pup, Dean."

"No, but going into starvation mode will. What happens to a pregnant omega when his body goes into starvation mode?"

Cas lifted his head from Dean's chest, his eyes widening as he realized what Dean was implying. "You think I would lose the pup."

"Cas, I know you would. What would that do to you? What would that do to me, knowing that it was my fault for not waiting until you were well to breed you?"

The Celestial whimpered, quieting as Dean's purr vibrated through him. "I can stay away from other omegas, Dean. I wouldn't endanger our pup."

"I know you wouldn't, but can you be completely sure that you won't catch an omega's scent? I know you're eager, but you're only twenty. You have plenty of time. Why don't you focus on your own health for now and we'll worry about pups later? Besides, it'll give you longer to think up names."

Cas chuckled, the last of his tension finally fading. He knew Dean was right, but he was so eager to mate and have pups that he had been willing to neglect his own health to get there. His alpha would never let that happen. "I was thinking about names over the past couple of days, actually. I don't want our pups to have Celestial type names; they're all so long and complicated that most of us have a nickname. I want our pups to have more Wilderness-y names, ones that can't be shortened at all, like yours."

Dean chuckled. "Anything in particular in mind?"

"Not yet. I have a list of names that I like from your noble family trees, but I don't want to pick something before I see our pup. I think I'll just know."

Dean ran his fingers through Cas's dark hair, the faintest purr vibrating his chest. "I'll leave it to you, love. Whatever you pick will be perfect."

Sam cleared his throat nervously, having followed most of his brother's conversation with Cas. Gabe, curled up in the pile of cushions his alpha had carried him to, looked up in concern, his golden eyes searching the younger Winchester's face for the cause of his unease. "What is it, Sam? Is something wrong?"

"No, Gabe, I just came to a realization while you were with the omegas. I, uh, I wanted to ask you if you would do me the honor of bearing my pups. Someday."

Gabe squealed, burying his nose in Sam's neck and inhaling his spring meadow scent. "Really? You really want pups?"

"Alicia and the guys kinda pointed out how adorable they would be." He reached down and rested his oversized hand on Gabriel's flat stomach, rubbing gentle circles. "Besides, you're going to be adorable with a huge belly, little feet kicking my hand when I rest it here, like this. Maybe not this summer, but within the next year or so, as long as we're settled we can talk about making a pup."

"Thank you, Sam," Gabe whispered, nuzzling his boyfriend's neck. "Thank you for truly wanting this, and not just humoring me. Hopefully you still feel this way on number twelve."

"Twelve?! Gabe!"

The omega chuckled. "I'm kidding, Samshine. Just a couple will be fine for me."

The alpha grinned and relaxed, looking up as the door opened to admit a trio of servants with breakfast. His stomach growled in response as he headed for the table, Gabe still curled in his arms as he stubbornly refused to walk on his own now that he had his personal chauffer back. The rest of their pack quickly joined them at the table, taking their seats and filling their plates, happy to be eating together as a group again.

* * *

Abaddon had been surreptitiously watching her alpha for over an hour, sorting through the day's appointments as dozens of servants and lesser nobles brought petitions to her desk. Crowley had arrived in court earlier than expected, nearly an hour before dawn, and he clearly had not slept well the night before. His personal servant, Mark, had brought him a cup of steaming tea, the drink heavily caffeinated and spreading the gentle scent of rosemary through the room. He also rubbed some ginger cream under the alpha's eyes to reduce the dark puffiness, scolding him for not resting long enough the night before. Crowley grumbled something and waved him away, but he clearly appreciated his servant's concern.

"Alpha, we won't be admitting any petitioners for at least another two hours," Abaddon offered softly, glancing up as Ruby brought a scroll and cup of tea to her table. Despite her position as the Alpha of Rowena's pack, Ruby technically held the position of Third Alpha in Crowley's court and enjoyed the days when she got to help Abaddon in the throne room.

"You're suggesting that I go back to my room and try to get some rest?" Crowley's voice was gentle, without a hint of anger at the suggestion, and Abaddon nodded. "You're right, I probably should, but I'll never be able to sleep."

"Balthy's scent finally faded from your blankets?"

The Head Alpha rolled his eyes at Ruby's guess, but she wasn't wrong. The omegas hadn't left their suite the night before, so he had spent the entire day and night without Balthazar. "You know, it's going to be worse once you take him back to the border. Being apart from him is going to be torture for me."

Ruby nodded, placing her scroll in Abaddon's pile before pulling a clean sheet of paper free. "He won't be gone long, Crowley. As soon as he has John's blessing, he'll be back here in your arms. To that effect, I do think we should start planning for your mating ceremony."

Crowley rose from his throne, joining Ruby at Abaddon's table as he watched her sketch the hall, complete with decorations for his mating ceremony. Abaddon grabbed a second quill and began a list of nobles who would be invited, adding in Grand Coven members who were currently in good standing with Rowena and Crowley. "Oh, that's very good. I like your use of silks here, between the pillars. Where are you planning the blessing flowers?"

"Here, covering the stairs of your dais, leaving just a walkway where you can descend to the binding circle. What color scheme would you prefer?"

"Making wedding plans without me?"

Crowley looked up at the voice, the sight of his omega striding into the throne room brightening his face more than Mark's creams or a night of sleep ever could. He spun around as Balthazar dashed forward, jumping into the alpha's arms as the other three male omegas followed him into the throne room. The overwhelming spicy scent of _happy alpha_ swelled to fill the throne room as Crowley nuzzled his omega, Balthazar's lighter rosemary-mint aroma quickly swelling to complement it.

"Welcome back, Zar."

"It's good to be back."

Crowley took a half step away from the lean omega, one arm still loosely wrapped around his waist as he headed back to his throne. "Did you have time to eat anything this morning?"

"Not yet," Balthazar admitted, taking his customary seat next to Crowley's throne. "We were going to eat with you in your study, but the guards said that you had already come here."

Crowley turned toward the small, secret door behind his throne that allowed servants to enter the chamber without disturbing court. Mark, standing there attentively as usual, caught his alpha's eye and nodded, vanishing into the shadows as he headed for the kitchen to order breakfast. Alfie and Kevin settled into their normal chairs, looking half-dead as Ruby brought them each a cup of heavily caffeinated tea, smiling gently at the boys.

"Thanks, Ruby," Alfie managed, his voice weak and scratchy.

The alpha chuckled, running her fingers through the young omega's hair. "Sweetie, I could hear you howling from my room. It sounds like you enjoyed yourself."

Mshindi, who had joined Abaddon at her table to look over the quick sketches of the mating ceremony, grinned at Alfie, fingering the beads of his long necklace. "He has made good use of the gift I brought from the south. Hopefully he continues to enjoy it, even when not in heat."

"You can be damned sure of that."

Crowley chuckled and leaned over to nuzzle Balthazar, running his fingers through the omega's blonde hair. "Did you make good use of your gift?"

Balthazar blushed and ducked his head. "Um, yes. The sounds Kevin and Alfie were making drove me crazy and I had to do something to block them out. I, uh . . . I never partnered with an alpha before but if it's anything like that toy, I can't wait to try it for real."

" _Wait until our mating night, my sweet omega. I will tease you and I will take you apart until you are begging for my knot and then I will finally give it to you and make you scream."_

Balthazar blushed, his low, needy whine sounding through the hall as he shifted uncomfortably in his chair. Abaddon growled and snapped her teeth, sparks dancing along her arms. "Stop riling up the boy, Crowley. I don't think I can stand another day of frustrated, aroused omega scent in these halls."

"Don't make me separate you two," Ruby added, her lilting voice carrying the hint of a threat.

Crowley raised his hands in surrender, acceding to the demands of the female alphas. "I'm sorry, Zar; I shouldn't tease you."

"No, you shouldn't," Linda barked, storming into the hall with Maggie and Donald on her heels. "I can see that I can't leave you alone with poor Balthazar for even a moment. I hope you aren't doing anything that would endanger your impending mating?"

"No, of course not, Linda. Balthazar and I were just talking." Linda raised one eyebrow, arms crossed over her chest as Maggie and Donald joined the other two omegas in the guest chairs at the foot of Crowley's dais. "Um, of course I will endeavor to choose more appropriate topics of conversation when speaking with him in the future."

"You had better." Linda moved to join Abaddon and Ruby, pausing as she noticed the wide smile slowly spreading across Balthazar's face. "What?"

"Nothing, just . . . watching you threaten Crowley for whispering dirty things in my mind . . . I never had a mother who cared about me before."

Mshindi grinned and reached out to squeeze Linda's arm, offering a silent agreement of that statement. The beta ducked her head, saved from having to respond by a flurry of servants entering from behind Crowley's throne. Another pair slipped in through the main doors, finding a long table along the wall and pulling it to the foot of Crowley's dais, giving the others a place to set their platters as Linda gathered cushions for them to sit on.

Soon, the spacious hall was filled with the sounds of eating, the omegas ravenous after so many days of hormone-fueled irregularities in their eating schedules. The alphas and betas laughed but attempted to match the boys' enthusiasm, powering through most of the spread in less than half an hour. Crowley encouraged them to eat as much as they could; they would be in court for hours to deal with all of the last-minute requests before the Equinox.

The Head Alpha glanced up as the thought crossed his mind, meeting Donald's indigo-purple eyes across the table. "I'll assume that you are here this morning because you completed Mother's request?"

Donald nodded, pulling a tightly rolled scroll out of his bag and passing it across the table. Crowley unrolled it and glanced through the wording, noting Maggie's flowery, neat handwriting and the different colors of ink used for each participant. "Seriously, where did you find this many ink colors in the middle of winter?"

Maggie grinned, holding out her hand as purple sparks danced across her fingers. "I have my ways of preserving my inks. This is the main scroll; I made a copy and sent it to your scribes. They should have eight more finished by tomorrow morning. They were delighted to be allowed to access my ink collection."

"I'm sure," Crowley returned dryly. "Have you gathered the materials she requires? Mother assured me that Tasha keeps her altar well-stocked, but she would prefer herbs and crystals from Spellbound lands for such an important ritual."

"I don't know what's so important about it," Don drawled, his ancient accent bleeding through into his words. "We only ever perform the one ritual, thirteen witches and omegas, and it has always worked just fine. Why does Rowena think she needs a second, much smaller circle with incredibly inexperienced omegas and a barely-graduated apprentice to augment us?"

"It is said in my lands that Rowena never speaks all that she knows," Mshindi interjected, tilting his head respectfully toward Donald. "She must have seen something, perhaps a new upsurge of power that must be contained or controlled from a secondary location. The omegas she has chosen for her ritual include four messengers, while you have two more messengers, one of whom is a psychic or seer. That is a lot more power than you have ever dealt with in your spring fertility festival. It is more than has been seen for over five hundred years. Destiny stirs."

"Destiny stirs," Kevin repeated, his eyes flashing silver as a vision passed through his mind, as usual fading too fast for him to catch it.

"What did you see?"

The young messenger shrugged, shaking his head as his eyes faded back to white. "No idea. All I saw was light, brilliant white light, with no indication of the source."

"I suppose it will become clear at some point in the future," Maggie offered, reaching out to squeeze Kevin's arm reassuringly. She knew how disconcerting it could be to have powers that were out of control.

"Rowena will have some answers, I'm sure, as soon as Meg and I bring her back from her trip to Wilderness lands," Ruby offered.

"Speaking of your illustrious lieutenant, where is she this morning?" Maggie glanced around, clearly counting heads as she realized who had been missing the whole time.

"She was guarding Linda's suite for twenty hours straight; I told her to get some sleep today. She's the only female beta I trust, and I couldn't have male betas within scent distance of the door." Ruby nodded toward Alfie, who blushed and dropped his head, refusing to make eye contact as he picked at his honeyed cake. "He caught the scent of one of my newer beta guards yesterday morning and tried to break the door down to get at him. In all fairness, the guard himself was not unmoved by the overwhelming scent of an omega who strongly prefers male beta partners, and he asked to be taken off guard duty for the last day."

Mshindi nodded, remembering how he and Balthazar had struggled to restrain the young omega and lock him in his room until the male beta's faint scent finally faded. "Our shamans and those of us who train the young in our tribe know that each omega will tailor their scent to attract the type of mate they want when they are in heat. To a certain extent, alphas can do the same thing, though they go into rut significantly less often than we go into heat. Alfie prefers male betas, as does Kevin, so their scent would be sweeter and more alluring to that subgender, whereas a female or an alpha would be able to resist more easily."

"Can the preference change?" Balthazar, tucked against Crowley's side with the alpha's arm around his waist protectively, was clearly worried about the answer to his query. "We don't really study the nuances of mating and scents in the north; in my home it was expected that we would not spend much time with our future mates until the proscribed one-month courtship began, and certainly they would never be near us in heat until we were mated. We have never had the opportunity to study attraction and scents during heats since we always sequester our omegas, but you don't do that in the south."

"No, we do not. And we have studied the topic extensively. When an alpha is in his or her first rut, it is up to the guardians to determine the teen's preferences and use it to scent train them accordingly. The guardian is usually an older, more dominant alpha with a few male betas and mated omegas to assist him, and we test which genders and subgenders the alpha prefers before pushing their limit. Once we know their preference, any future ruts can be managed more easily, and they can be allowed to stay with the tribe. We do not normally see that change."

"And you do the same thing for omegas? You test their preferences when they go into heat?"

"Yes, and we retest as requested until they are mated. For you, Alfie, because you are attracted exclusively to male betas, we would place you with a family that does not have any while you are in heat, which would help you learn to control your urges. It is easier on the alpha of that family, too, since they would not find you as enticing as an unmated beta male would. For you, Balthazar, I have a feeling that you would have tested as preferring betas of either gender when you were first presented, but our elders would have seen that male alphas might hold a slight interest for you, though you would have rejected their claim. Your preferences don't really change as you grow, but you may not be aware of them when you are just a teenager. Your scent, however, has probably always called to male alphas when you are in heat."

"I, for one, find your scent irresistible," Crowley purred, leaning down to nuzzle Balthazar's neck. "We'll have to see how much I like it when you go into heat."

Linda sighed and raised one eyebrow, glaring at the Head Alpha until he shrugged in what might pass for an apology. "Mshindi, do you think you could train Ruby's guards the way you helped to train Alfie and Kevin? We're going to have more female omegas here than usual when they go into heat, and it might help if our guards are more prepared."

"Certainly, I can do that. I will also try to work with any female omegas who are in town before I leave, though I do not think I will still be here when they go into heat."

"That would be wonderful, Mshindi; thank you."

* * *

"And this is what you want to do all day?"

Dean grinned and tossed his shirt onto the large blanket, heading for the chilled lake clad only in a pair of simple cotton shorts. "Yeah, isn't it a great idea?"

Cas chuckled as his boyfriend jumped into the water, followed quickly by Sam and Benny. Jo, Charlie, and Rowena reclined against the large basket that apparently contained their lunch, while Cas's two brothers stripped down to their own shorts obediently. "Shouldn't we work on our training? We've been 'relaxing' for days."

"Cas, I swear man, you do air quotes one more time I'm going to spank you."

The omega's blue eyes darkened to an almost navy shade, the raven-haired man pulling himself to his full height as he puffed out his chest and raised one eyebrow in an unspoken challenge. Dean, standing chest-deep in the lake, froze at the expression, some deep, primal part of him urging him to either challenge the Celestial or back down, and even his alpha was willing to submit to this beautiful omega. "Will you, _boy_?"

Sam glanced back and forth between his brother and his future brother-in-law, hazel eyes wide as the gravity of the situation became clear. "Dude, you two need to mate soon. I can't handle this sexual tension much longer."

Dean dropped his eyes, surrendering to Cas as the omega removed his clothes and followed him into the water. The alpha refused to meet his gaze until Cas entered the lake and joined him, wrapping his arms around Dean's waist and nuzzling him under his chin. "You like that."

Dean cleared his throat and moved them deeper into the lake, ignoring the chill in the water that threatened to sap his strength. "I, uh, didn't know I would like that. Submitting to an alpha for sex is one thing, submitting to an omega . . . in front of my whole pack . . ."

Cas stiffened against Dean, soulful blue eyes rising to meet his alpha's jade green. "I didn't mean to humiliate you or anything, Dean."

"You didn't, Cas, I promise." Dean slipped his arm around the omega's waist, gently kissing his forehead. "I told you that I want us to be equals, so if you feel like being dominant once in a while, I don't mind. Besides, didn't you tell me about your fantasy of mounting me?"

"Still have that one," Cas murmured, tucking himself closer against Dean's side.

"Whenever you want it, babe, just talk to me like that again." Dean released Cas and dove beneath the surface of the lake, emerging a moment later quite a bit closer to shore. Cas grinned and followed him, splashing the alpha as soon as he emerged from the chill water. "Cas, how many betas and omegas have you been with?"

"Um, quite a few more than I ever told my brothers." Cas turned to watch Gabe and Gad slip into the water, joining their partners further down the shoreline as the three women watched them from the blanket. "I used sex as an escape from Michael and Raphael's brutality. I . . . I got tired of them trying to dominate me."

"So you wanted to dominate others, submissive betas and omegas?"

Cas nodded, waving his hands slowly through the crystal clear water. "First it was just young beta females, but I partnered with a beta male once and I loved it. I had to keep my brothers from learning my preferences, so I switched partners frequently and told them that I was just experimenting, that it was a one-time thing. I found a ton of betas and female omegas who were willing to let me mount them, and a few select male omegas. When Michael told me that I was required to mate Uriel, I thought that my fun would be over. Certainly _he_ would never let me mount him. I never thought I would find an alpha who would be willing to be my bottom once in a while."

Dean ran his fingers through Cas's wet hair, knowing that the young omega found the gesture soothing. "I never thought I'd find an omega I'd be willing to bottom for. I can't wait until we're mated so we can try out all of our fantasies."

Partway around the lake, Gabriel nudged Sam and nodded at their brothers. "They're perfectly matched, you know. Cassie thinks that we don't know, but he partnered with dozens, perhaps more than a hundred submissive betas and omegas. I don't think he let more than a few male betas mount him since he had his first heat, and he hated the attraction he had to alphas while he was in the throes of it."

"You never thought he would choose to mate an alpha?"

"No, not him or Balthazar. It's pretty much the only trait they have always had in common. Gadreel . . . he wouldn't have minded if his mate was a beta or an alpha, though he always told me that he prefers males."

"And what about you, my sweet omega?"

Gabriel blushed and dropped his eyes, stepping close enough in the shallow water to rest his head on Sam's chest. He loved that the alpha was almost a full head taller than him, broader and much stronger. Gabriel had mostly recovered from the privations of the mountains and his own brother's abuse, his soft stomach and tiny love handles evidence that he was finally able to eat enough, and Sam loved the physical proof that his future mate was healthy and happy in his care. Michael had always told the boys that no alpha would want a pudgy omega, but Sam just told Gabe that he was beautiful, all soft and happy, and to stop worrying what his oldest brother would think of his figure. "I always knew I would mate a big, strong, dominant male alpha. I can't tell you how glad I am that it's you."

Sam purred under Gabe's cheek, his scent enveloping his blonde partner. "I missed you, Gabe. I know it's customary for omegas to be separated when they are in heat, but that is the only time I want to be apart from you ever again."

"You won't, love, I promise you that."

A few feet away, floating on his back with Gadreel's strong grip to anchor him, Benny stared into the mercifully cloudless sky. This late in the winter, mere days before the spring equinox, a storm could be deadly. "What do you want to do today, Gad?"

"Mmm, more of this would be nice. I know the cold water doesn't agree with you, but I find the temperature very pleasant. Gabe and I used to sneak away from the palace and go swimming together when winter started to break, finding a secluded lake high in the northern mountains. It was one of the few times that we felt free, in control of our destinies. Sometime we would offer to take Cas, but usually Balthy didn't want to go and they refused to be separated."

Benny grinned and tilted his head, blue eyes finding his omega's gentle gold. "If I met the four of you individually, I would never believe that you're brothers. You're so calm and steady, my anchor and my equal. Gabriel is a whirlwind, all bluster and motion on the surface with a secret, calm exterior underneath and a love of sweet food that is unnatural. Balthazar is a hedonist, living for excitement and sensation, while Cas desires structure, order, and peace."

Gadreel nodded and spread the fingers of his free hand out on the surface of the still water. "There is a belief among Celestials that a parent can call for a specific soul to inhabit their child. I never put much stock in it before, but now that I know more about my father I cannot discount the thought as easily. Perhaps he chose our souls on purpose. Perhaps we have a destiny beyond the prophecy of the four omegas."

Benny rolled on his side in the water, getting his legs under him so he could face his partner. Normally, Gadreel stood a few inches taller than his beta, but Benny was slightly closer to shore and had an advantage for the moment. "Do you believe in soulmates, Gad?"

"I don't know. Maybe. It's not a concept that is highly encouraged among my pack. After all, my parents were in an arranged mating and I know that they never loved each other, but they both seemed happy enough with the condition. I thought that I would find myself in a similar situation once Michael had found an alliance he favored, so I never considered the possibility of a soul made to match mine."

"Down in the swamps, we tell stories about finding our soulmate someday. Wilderness wolves believe the same thing, by the way."

Gadreel smiled at Benny, taking a step closer so the beta could wrap his arms loosely around his waist. "Do you think I am your soulmate, Benny?"

The beta reached out to cup the omega's strong chin in his hand, his thumb rubbing Gadreel's cheek gently. "I never wanted you to fall in love with me, Gad. I wanted better for you." He shook his head as the omega opened his mouth to answer, leaning forward to silence him with a quick kiss. "I'm glad you did, _cher_. So glad. I love you, and I don't care if soulmates are real or not, because I would love you regardless." He pulled Gadreel close enough to nuzzle the omega under his chin, feeling the younger man shiver at the scratchy brush of his beard. "Besides, Charlie promised me twins with _you_ , and she hasn't said that about any other omega. You could be my only chance for a family." The words were light, teasing, but Gadreel knew that Benny hid a deeper pain within them.

Gadreel moved close enough to lean his head on Benny's shoulder, offering whatever comfort he could to the beta. "Well, if my father did choose our souls, I'm glad that mine matches yours. Perhaps he saw that, perhaps he saw your loneliness and created me for you."

"Remind me to thank him for that someday."

* * *

Max groaned and leaned back against the picnic basket, the last of the candied fruit in a bowl by his feet. Alicia chuckled as she read her scroll again, silently mouthing the words of the ritual as Charlie drew in the dirt with a stick. "Rowena, this is way more complicated than the ritual that mom, Alicia, and I have done."

"But less complicated than the one that the Coven will be doing in four days' time," the witch returned, leaning forward to tap the paper in the omega's lap. "We barely have enough for the ritual as it is, so I cannot have you forgetting your words." Her accent was thicker than usual, a side effect of the stress of losing her prophet bond, and Charlie reached out to place a comforting hand on her mentor's arm.

Tasha, who had learned this specific "small ritual" years ago under Rowena, had only needed a quick refresher and preferred to study in her home. The twins, however, had required more instruction and countless mnemonics, so they had been sent to join the Spellbounds by the lake where Dean's reunited pack had returned to swimming in the lake or basking on the shore after their picnic lunch. "Are you sure I should be doing the water part? I don't feel very much like a healer at the moment."

"I have seen your power, Max, and the water element is strong within you. Remember, it also represents fertility, and, as a young omega, you are perfectly suited to that. Besides, your twin is sitting Fire and I need you to balance her alpha strength and passion."

Max sighed and nodded, accepting the witch's explanation. Though he and Alicia looked very similar and often thought along the same paths, there were times when they were complete opposites, even down to their dynamically opposed subgenders. They were even the least common types, a female alpha and a male omega, and he knew that Rowena could use their strange dynamic in her ritual.

"Enjoy the water while you can, Max," Charlie murmured, her eyes glowing purple as she caught another vision from her fledgling prophet. "One day you will understand its value."

Max and Alicia glanced up at Rowena, but the older witch just shook her head, indicating that they should just accept Charlie's strange half-prophecies and move on. Until her bond as the new speaker was complete, she would continue to see partial paths and obfuscated futures, so it was truly not worth trying to decipher her words. Max would remember them, though, of that he was quite sure.

"Where did our mother sit when she was part of your rituals?"

Rowena glanced up from her apprentice at Alicia's question, pointing toward Max. "She would sit water, like your brother. I usually assign that direction to the youngest, most fertile omega, male or female, and reserve Earth for a fertile mother with young children. The ritual has many purposes, and one of them will be to help Tasha conceive her next pup when her heat hits in a few weeks. Normally, I would have her sit in the center of the circle as an omega, but I think her powers will be more useful if she participates as a witch."

"Do you know what the pup will be?"

Charlie smiled that soft, secret expression that had come to mean she saw a good vision. "I see a male pup, a legacy alpha, and a female omega witch. Your equals and opposites."

Max grinned and reached over to grab Alicia's arm. "Twins! Oh, I can't wait."

"We can't tell her," Alicia added, glancing up the hill at their home. "It's hard to carry twins to term, and she will be terrified about losing them. The midwife will inform her when it's too late her own concerns to threaten her chances of getting pregnant."

Rowena reached out and touched Charlie's arm, smiling to see that the young witch's eyes had faded back to green. "You only planning to see twins in the future, child?"

Charlie shrugged, gesturing vaguely toward the north. "The prophet sees it, not me. I think that twins may be easier to spot while our powers are growing, but I have tried to direct his attention toward specific omegas without much luck."

"Whose pup did you try to see? Certainly Gadreel's future posed you no problem."

Charlie nodded toward the lake, where Castiel, Gabriel, and Gadreel were racing each other through the chill water while their boyfriends tried to soak up some of the late-winter sun on the beach. "I tried for Gabriel and Sam, and all I could see was him pregnant, not the pup itself. I wondered if it was because of the mixing of natures, legacy and messenger, so I tried for Cas and Dean. All I saw was a brilliant golden-orange light, warm like the sun but fierce and deadly. I couldn't look for too long, and I felt that even the powerful psychics catching my images shied away from it. Your son and his future mate are too cloaked in your power for me to see clearly, but I think that Crowley will have the alpha half-witch son he so desires to rule after him. There was more, but I just . . . I couldn't push the vision any further. I'm hoping that I will have more control once I meet my prophet."

Rowena nodded. "You will have more control, but so will he. Eventually, the prophet will learn to form his visions into the kind of cryptic, half-useless images that mine would send me from time-to-time. The prophecy about those boys . . . it is lacking in the useful details."

Charlie snorted and returned to her scroll, her mind filled with the image of a heavy spear flying through the air over a bloodied field she did not recognize, its construction as foreign to her mind's eye as the sallow-skinned man who had hurled it into the sky. She knew that it was somehow linked to the prophecy Rowena had carried for five centuries, but the image would not coalesce into anything more useful than that piece of sharpened wood. "Tell me about it."


	15. Separated

Chapter 15: Separated

* * *

"They'll never learn it in time."

"Tasha will."

"Tasha already knew it," Charlie deflected. "The omegas will probably have to read off the paper, and I doubt I can teach them the crystals and herbs in time."

Rowena grinned and ran her fingers across the tattoo just below her elbow. "Maggie has solved that issue for us, as a matter of fact. She just contacted me to let me know that her spell worked and she was able to imbue the memory magic into a set of scrolls that she will send to us with Balthazar, Ruby, and Meg. Each scroll will allow the holder to memorize the entire ritual after reading it once, then it will fade organically when we are finished. Conveniently, she also placed a time marker on the pages that will let us know when Fergus begins his ritual."

Charlie stared at her mentor for a long moment. She had known that Maggie's powers tended toward the control of thoughts and memories, but this could well be one of the most intricate spells the witch had concocted in her three centuries. "Wow. I know that you asked her for some help recommending the fifth omega and in arranging some supplies, but I never imagined she had _this_ up her sleeve."

"Yes, I must admit that I am rather impressed myself."

"You know, if she and Don ever have pups, they will be unstoppable."

Rowena shrugged, the motion a tacit agreement. "You can give Max and Alicia the day off tomorrow. They need time to pack for their trip to Spellbound lands, in any case. Will you spend the day with Jo or studying with me?"

Charlie bit her lip and ran her fingers through her long, wavy red hair. "I was hoping for time with Jo. It . . . it could be some time before I see her again."

Rowena smiled and opened the box of crystals that Tasha had given her the day before. "Spend the day with your future mate, Charlie. I do remember what it is to be young, and in love."

* * *

Dean felt consciousness come on him slowly, the heaviness slowly leaving his limbs as sunlight filtered through the curtained windows to burn into his eyes. He felt warmth on his chest and against his back, more bodies pressing in on either side and keeping him from moving more than a few inches in any direction. The omegas had refused to be separated from their future mates or each other, so the entire pack had curled up together on a huge pile of pillows the night before, needing minimal blankets with so much body heat available.

Cas, his cheek pillowed on Dean's chest, stirred, purring softly as he returned to consciousness. "Dean?" His voice was soft, but still carried that deep gravel that his alpha loved so much.

"Morning, Sunshine."

"What . . . what are we doing today?"

"I thought you might want to go for a flight. You've been cooped up for a while."

"That would be wonderful. I want to feel the wind under my wings again."

"What about wind?" Gabriel grumbled something else as Sam jerked away at his voice and elbowed the omega in the side. The tallest alpha was frequently ungainly, unable to control his long limbs, and it was especially bad when he was half-asleep. Dean did not envy the blonde omega who would have to wake up to that clumsiness every morning.

"We had better get up and eat, then, if we are going to have time," Gadreel murmured, nudging Benny until the beta rolled over and opened his eyes.

The pack finished their breakfast and made it to the clearing in record time, Jo bringing Charlie though Rowena decided to stay behind. Unexpectedly released from their studies, Max and Alicia headed to town, probably to find some beta partners for the day before heading to Spellbound lands in the morning.

Cas, Gabe, and Gad wasted no time in spreading their wings as soon as they were safe in their clearing, their partners fashioning a makeshift camp with blankets and baskets of food that would allow them to stay out all day. Jo and Charlie also shifted forms, the big alpha leading her petite partner on a chase across the clearing, startling the trio of messengers into flight.

Dean led the ground-locked portion of his small pack in a series of fighting drills, first in human form and then as wolves, tearing up the ground with their claws as they ran under the flying omegas and playfully tried to jump and catch them.

" _Dean, what are you doing?"_

" _Having fun! Cas, relax a little and enjoy yourself. This is our last day staying with Tasha and her pack and I want to have fun."_

Cas yipped at his alpha and spun in the air, tucking his wings and diving toward the ground. Dean growled and dodged, rolling his eyes as the omegas laughed at his reaction. The other two messengers copied their brother's actions, diving at their own partners as the alphas and betas jumped at them and howled.

They played like that for almost an hour, Jo and Charlie returning to the blankets and relaxing as the men played. Cas finally landed, letting Dean jump on his back as he rolled over and snapped at him, playing with the alpha like an unruly pup. The other two messengers landed a moment later, all six of them rolling around and wrestling with each other while Jo and Charlie called encouragement from the sidelines.

When they finally finished playing and stopped for a water break, Jo forced them all to eat a little snack, too. "You'll need your strength if you're going to fly again."

Cas nodded gratefully, glancing over his snack at his brothers before turning his attention to the three Wilderness wolves. "What do you think?"

"It has to be you," Gabriel answered, eyes widening gleefully as he found a jar of candied fruit. "I'm way too small and Gad's partner is too big."

"Dean is taller," Cas argued, finishing his cup of water.

"Benny is bulkier," Gadreel pointed out. "And you are the biggest of us. It has to be you and Dean, brother, and you know it."

"Yeah, yeah, I know."

"What the hell are you three talking about?"

In lieu of answering, Cas stood and left the blanket, quickly shifting back into his alpha-sized, iridescent black wolf form, ears tilted toward Dean. He freed his wings and held them half-open, whining at his partner. _"Come on, Dean."_

"You want me to climb on your back?" Cas nodded, waiting patiently until Dean walked over, the alpha carefully climbing onto Cas's back. "You picked me because I weigh the least?"

" _It seemed safest,"_ Cas replied. _"Sam may one day be able to ride Gabe, but not until my brother is much stronger. And Gad is right; Benny is bulkier than you."_

Dean chuckled, tightening his legs around his omega's waist as he buried his hands in Cas's neck ruff. "So I'm the smallest of my brothers and you're the largest of yours?"

" _Pretty much. Hold on, Dean; I have never done this before. I'm going to stay close to the ground so I don't drop you."_

Dean leaned down until his lips were inches from the black wolf's twitching ears, his voice barely a whisper. "I trust you with my life, sweetheart."

The other wolves followed Cas a few steps away from the camp area, watching silently as he quickened into a trot, his wings stretching to their full length as he swung them down, pushing off with his haunches at the same moment. Dean tightened his legs at the sudden jolt, taking a deep breath as they rose a few feet off the ground, quickly reaching a speed three times that of his fastest gallop. He reveled in the feeling of the wind rushing through his hair, reminding him that it had grown a little long over the winter, something he had not experienced since the last time he had ridden Sam through the forest.

Dean opened his mouth to express his glee, but his words were ripped away by the wind. He settled for leaning forward and wrapping his arms around Cas's neck, burying his fingers in the silky undercoat. _"Do you like it?"_ Dean nodded, squeezing with his legs in what he hoped was an agreement. _"Good. I've . . . I've wanted to share this with you for weeks. When we . . . when we are mated, I will be able to hear you even when we are flying."_

Dean leaned back, eyes widening in shock at the thought that Cas wanted to fly with him again. He looked up as the omega rose above the tree line, giving him a glimpse deep into Wilderness lands to the west, with a hint of clouds hiding snow-capped mountains to the north. Sunlight lit up the world beneath them, the dark green of winter-weary evergreens warring with the brighter shades of new spring growth. Cas tossed his head as he completed his turn, Dean following his gaze to the low-lying clouds cloaking Spellbound lands to the east. He squeezed his legs again, pulling back slightly on Cas's ruff, silently asking the Celestial to fly a little higher.

Cas turned his head slightly, intense azure eye focusing on his passenger. _"Are you sure?"_ Dean pulled back again, nodding, and Cas flapped his wings harder, hitting a thermal and rising further above the trees. Dean could still see their pack members on the ground, but they were too small for details, and soon they would vanish into the trees. Thankfully, Tasha had cast a spell over the city to prevent anyone from seeing the flying wolves, just in case they did get close enough to elicit attention, but neither Cas nor Dean wanted to test that theory. _"What are you looking for, Dean?"_

The legacy shrugged, nudging Cas with his left leg in a request for him to turn toward the south. The wolf obeyed, blue and green eyes searching the distant horizon. Cas held his position in the thermal for as long as he could, turning back to the clearing at the first twinge of pain. _"We have to land now; I don't want to risk falling."_

The pair returned to the ground a few moments later, Cas throwing up a cloud of winter-dry dirt as he fumbled the landing slightly, just barely catching himself before falling on his face. Dean dismounted quickly, arms ready to catch the omega as he shifted back into human form. "You okay, Cas?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine." He managed to stay upright, though he held onto Dean for balance as they returned to the small camp, Gabe quick to offer his brother a cup of water. "I stayed up a lot longer than I thought I could."

"That you did," the blonde agreed, refilling Cas's drained cup before letting his younger brother even think of speaking. "Though I'm not sure how safe it is to ride a flying wolf without some sort of harness or saddle. We'll have to look into that."

"What did you guys see up there?" Charlie, as usual, was a bundle of energy, the faintest touch of purple magic glowing from her eyes in her excitement.

"A lot of trees, the mountains to the north, and a desert to the south."

"A desert?"

Dean nodded, pulling Cas onto the blanket beside him as he leaned back against the largest picnic basket. "It was almost blinding, all that sand, but I felt almost a pull. I felt like . . ."

"Like our destinies lie south of that desert," Cas finished, his blue eyes distant as he stared into his empty cup. "None of my people have ever been so far from home, but I have heard that there are lands to the south, beyond the desert, where people like us live. Metatron once told me a story of a tribe of men whose wolf forms are tall and slender, with long black legs and golden fur too short to survive a northern winter. I'd like to meet them sometime."

"You will," Charlie whispered, her green eyes glowing with a deep indigo-purple light. "If you wish for the prophecy to end well, you _must_."

* * *

Balthazar shrugged as he stared into the low-lying clouds, his lifetime in the mountains giving him a unique perspective. "It's just a really heavy fog, probably because of the rapid weather changes we are dealing with now. I can get above it, no problem, if you want to go flying today. It's your last chance before I leave."

Mshindi stared into the white sky, his dark eyes distant. "The shaman told me that I would find my answers in the clouds."

Kevin glanced at his brother, both of them shrugging before they stripped out of their clothes and changed forms. Balthazar handed his own clothes to Linda before shifting forms, watching the beta as she fastened his leather harness around his chest and waist, checking the buckles and saddle before handing the heavy belt to Mshindi. "It's going to be cold up there; do you want another layer to keep you warm?"

Mshindi shrugged and nodded, accepting Balthazar's tunic and coat, as well as an extra pair of woolen overpants. He climbed onto the white wolf, fastening the three straps to the small saddle before tightening his legs and settling into his seat. "Whenever you're ready, Balthy."

The wolf growl-barked his response before taking off at a gallop, already trusting that the Nomad could keep his seat with or without the straps. His ears flicked back for a moment, the only warning he gave before leaping into flight, the omega's powerful wings pushing them higher into the cloud bank. The cold, wet fog only gripped them for a moment before they were clear, soaring under a brilliant winter sun and facing the heavier, gray clouds covering the lands to the northwest. Mshindi raised one hand to shield his eyes, feeling the tiny spark of shaman power he had inherited from his mother rise to the surface of his mind. He relaxed, letting the magic take control, and he felt his consciousness slip free of his body and fly hundreds of miles to the north, diving into those thick clouds and rising above them.

As soon as Mshindi's consciousness emerged from the cloud cover and he glimpsed the northern mountains he had dreamed about for so long, the omega felt a deep sense of calm envelop his soul. This was his destiny; this harsh, jagged, frozen landscape would be his future. Dark smudges on the lower flanks of the towering peaks indicated a hint of life, forests not unlike those of his homeland where wolves could hunt, and a bright reflection deep in one of the valleys indicated a river or lake.

Mshindi gasped as he returned to his body, having been gone for only seconds, but he felt a deep, profound change deep inside, a _tugging_ that even his wolf couldn't ignore. He had once asked the shamans to give him some sign that his mission would succeed, and they had told him that his answers could only be found above the clouds. "My future is in those mountains."

Balthazar flicked his ears back, gliding slowly enough that was able to hear his passenger's words. He turned his head and fixed one bright blue eye on the Nomad, a question rumbling against the omega's legs. "I'll tell you when we land," Mshindi answered.

Balthazar nodded, flapping his wings again as Kevin and Alfie rose above the clouds behind them, taking perfectly practiced positions on either side of the white wolf. Mshindi tightened his legs around the older omega's chest, flattening against Balthazar's neck as he prepared to hold on during whatever maneuver the boys were preparing to attempt.

" _Ok, just like we discussed last night. Keep up with me in the ascent and keep your dives steady and controlled. If you feel like you're about to lose your position, veer off away from the group and land safely in the forest. Any questions?"_

" _Nope, Balthy; we're ready."_

Balthazar flashed his fangs at Kevin, turning his gaze skyward as he flapped his wings again, gaining altitude as the other two wolves rose behind him. His powerful thrusts pushed them hundreds of feet into the clear sky, far above the brooding pines and lingering fog that cloaked the Spellbound lands. Kevin and Alfie kept their positions flawlessly, despite their smaller sizes and weaker flying muscles. Balthazar leveled off almost a mile above the ground, settling into a brief glide as he gave his passenger time to correct his grip and prepare for the inevitable decent. Glancing at Mshindi for just a second, Balthazar let out a tremendous howl, the younger omegas joining him as they announced their superiority over the skies before dropping their heads and flapping their wings once more, twisting the appendages at the last second to push them into a steep, terrifying dive.

Mshindi was no stranger to speed, but this was beyond anything he had ever experienced before. He felt his eyes start to water and he fought against the urge to close them, eager to see the white wolf finish his dive and land. They reached the top of the low-lying cloud bank and Balthazar flared his wings, the strain echoing through every tense muscle as his body struggled to adjust to the maneuver. The wolf raised his head to the sky, angling his glide upwards as the ice crystals in the cloud sliced into Mshindi's skin. He felt his breath catch in his throat as the white wolf's speed dropped as he fell out of the clouds, adjusting his position in the last few dozen feet so he could glide into a running landing. Kevin and Alfie touched down just behind them, perfectly in formation, trotting to a stop at the edge of their makeshift camp.

Crowley had joined Linda sometime after the wolves had flown away, his red eyes following Balthazar as the wolf turned to the side, silently asking for someone to help Mshindi dismount. The Nomad detached his buckles and slid off of Balthazar's back, helping Linda remove the harness so the other omega could shift back and slip into his clothes.

"Did you manage the dive, Zar?"

"Yeah, it was awesome. It worked just like you said, even the strain of slowing down before we could land. How did you know?"

Crowley shrugged as he took a seat by the fire, pulling his omega into his arms. "Mother told me about some of the mechanics of flight when I was younger and curious about my father. In the past, messengers could be useful in battle, taking orders from the general to units far away, but they had to be able to dodge the enemy's arrows and spears. The higher you can fly and the faster you can return to land, the safer you will be."

Balthazar nodded and rested his head on Crowley's shoulder, smiling at Mshindi across the fire and he joined Linda and her sons. "What did you see up there? You said something, but I couldn't make it out."

"Here, in the North, you have people who are part witch, with varying levels of ability. In the South, we have similar people with small amounts of shamanistic ability, and I am one. When I was young, before I even had my first heat, I felt drawn toward the North, to the lands beyond the deserts, and I asked the shamans of my tribe about it. They told me that I would find my answers above the clouds."

Balthazar nodded slowly, blue eyes flicking to the fog blanketing the forest. "I thought I would have to fly much further north for you to see them. Did you see what you wanted to see?"

"When we faced north, whatever powers I have pulled my consciousness toward the mountains you came from. I saw them, how every many hundreds of miles away they are, and I _knew_ that my destiny lies there, in your mountains. One day, I must go there."

Kevin's eyes flashed silver as the vision of Mshindi standing next to a strange man in the snow returned to his mind. He grabbed at the image for as long as he could, trying to identify the scents and sounds around him, sighing as it finally faded. "The pine . . . it's sharp but with a kind of tangy aftertaste? But it doesn't linger, it's clean-smelling like the snowy backdrop."

Balthazar, guessing that Kevin had seen the same vision in the mountains again, tilted his head to the side. "Yellow pine, I'd guess. It grows near my family's palace in the north." He reached out and patted Mshindi's knee, smiling warmly. "One day, when Michael's not so much of a threat, I'll take you there."

"Thank you, Balthy."

* * *

"What's wrong?"

Balthazar sighed and gripped the edge of the window sill, staring out across Crowley's city. "What Mshindi asked . . . to go to my mountains. It reminded me that Michael is certainly looking for us. He won't tolerate the loss of four usable omegas. Now that the snow is starting to melt, he'll start sending out emissaries. Later, it'll be soldiers."

Crowley moved to stand behind the omega, wrapping his arms around the slender man's waist. "He won't take you, love. He wouldn't risk the might of my armies and my half-witches, and he certainly knows that the Coven _would_ go to war to defend my mate. Your brother may be the worst kind of overbearing alpha bastard, but he isn't stupid."

Balthazar's breath caught on a sob as he collapsed against his alpha, letting Crowley lower them both to the floor before wrapping his arms around the shaking omega. "I'm not your mate yet, Crowley, and I have to _leave_ in the morning. I don't want to go."

"Shh, Zar," Crowley purred, holding the omega tightly against his chest. "You will be my mate, I can promise you that. I don't care if I do have to fight Michael and John and all of their damn armies, I will have you. Okay?"

Balthazar swallowed and nodded, tears leaking from his bright blue eyes. "When Rowena sent me here, I was terrified," he whispered. "I thought that I would be barely tolerated, living on the outskirts of your pack and that I would be miserable. I thought I would look forward to going back to Wilderness lands, to seeing my brothers again. It feels like a betrayal to say that I don't miss them as much as I thought I would."

Crowley kissed Balthazar's forehead and sighed into his hair. "You know, I'd almost given up on ever finding a mate. I mean, as soon as I took over Head Alpha from Abaddon, every alpha in my realm had omega sons and daughters to offer me, and some beta daughters, as well. I never looked at them twice, and eventually everyone stopped. Sometimes one of my noble alphas will ask to send their omegas to my palace for their heats, which I always allow. Charlie loved to make new friends, after all, but I never liked their scents or their personalities. And then you came running up to my city with Ruby and Meg, clearly terrified of the welcome you would receive, and you _snapped_ at me! The audacity! No omega in my land has ever raised their voice to me, but you practically challenged me to make you back down. Damn, Zar, that was hot."

Balthazar smiled at that, reaching up to wipe his tears away. "I never looked for a potential mate in any of the alphas I've known. I mean, Michael had me promised away basically as soon as I presented, but I always doubted that I would find love or acceptance at the hands of my assigned mate. With you though . . . damn, Crowley, Rowena knew what she was doing."

The alpha nodded, his hand rubbing soothing circles across the omega's back. "She always has. I wouldn't be surprised if she saw your future with me as soon as you met. It wasn't chance that chose you for the mission to go with Tasha and meet my mother at the border; it was fate. And we both have to trust in that same fate to bring you back to me safely."

"I want to believe that," Balthazar whispered.

Crowley sighed and leaned against the window, staring out across the land lit by one of the last suns of winter, most of the fog having burned away since that morning. Reaching for the purple tattoo on the inside of his arm, he whispered a question across the link to Don, knowing that the alpha witch was somewhere in the castle. When he received a more enthusiastic answer than he had expected, the Head Alpha pushed himself to his feet, pulling Balthazar up with him. "Come on, I want to do something for you."

Mystified, Balthazar followed Crowley out of his chambers and through the hallways to the throne room, the alpha pausing a moment to touch his communications tattoo and send out a call. The pair strode into the throne room, the doors hanging open during the public court hours in the afternoon, eliciting the surprise of Abaddon and the dozens of petitioners waiting along the wall.

"Crowley, I didn't know you planned to return today." Abaddon abandoned the throne as her alpha entered the chamber, heading back to her seat where Ruby and Meg watched in silence. All noise in the huge chamber faded as the Head Alpha and his omega took their seats, Crowley waiting patiently as more members of his court filed into the room, each of them rubbing the tattoo on the inside of their arm before taking a seat or standing patiently against the wall.

Linda, Kevin, and Alfie claimed their traditional seats at the foot of the dais, Donald and Maggie joining them while every member of the Grand Coven currently staying in the capital entered the hall in twos and threes. Most of the nobles who had been in court that morning also returned, a steady stream of confused wolves who knew better than to ignore their alpha's call.

As soon as Crowley saw every face that he expected to, he carefully stood from his throne, hands clasped behind his back as his eyes glowed, ever so slightly, with his power. "Thank you all for responding to my emergency summons. I know that I rarely use it, so I am grateful that you were all able to gather so quickly."

He strode down to the floor of the throne room, a curious Balthazar one step behind him. "This is not our normal kind of emergency, but rather an announcement that I want my entire court to hear at the same time. I also expect that you will carry this to your towns and packs as soon as you leave here today." A chorus of agreements followed his words, and Crowley smiled. "Very well. I will start by sharing something that few of you know, a secret that once would have been celebrated but has become a badge of shame, a secret kept by Celestial wolves in their mountains and generally unknown to the other two packs."

Balthazar felt ice fill his frame as Crowley's words sunk in. Messengers. The alpha was talking about messengers. _"Crowley . . ."_

" _Just wait, love,"_ the alpha murmured back along their link, not even needing to touch his tattoo with the omega standing so close. "Over a hundred years ago, my mother fell in love with an alpha in the Celestial lands, a man named Hector, who was killed by his own pack not long after I was born and my mother returned here. He was killed because he had wings."

Some of the older witches, Don and Maggie included, nodded in understanding, though most of the court whispered uncertainly among themselves. The tales of wolves with wings had been assumed to be just that, _stories_ , but here was their Head Alpha confirming their existence. "In the past, before the packs split, messengers performed essential functions that kept the kingdom running smoothly, including carrying missives across the land, ferrying injured pack mates to a healer witch much faster than a ground-based wolf could travel, and taking down enemies during border disputes and open wars. They were often called 'Avenging Angels' in honor of their dual duty as suppliers of both death and healing. All messengers must be of partial or full Celestial blood, and their people fear and hunt them, even today. I do not fear them."

Balthazar knew a cue when he heard it. He carefully stripped out of his clothes, folding them neatly and placing them on Abaddon's desk as he struggled to control the shaking in his hands. He was terrified, but Crowley desired this, and he wanted nothing more than to make the alpha happy. Calling on his wolf, the omega shifted, stepping in front of Crowley as all eyes turned toward him. Crowley placed a comforting hand on his right hip, his scent calm as he tried to project that feeling to the young Celestial. Flexing his shoulders, Balthazar slowly released his wings, opening them to their full span to make sure everyone could see them.

Silence filled the great hall, witches and nobles alike speechless at the sight. They had all heard stories about messengers, usually vague ones, but none of them could have imagined the reality of standing so close to one, seeing the size and power of his wings. It helped that Balthazar's coat was iridescent white, the color lending an otherworldliness to the young omega, one that his wings just confirmed.

"They're beautiful," Maggie whispered, stepping forward and running gentle fingers over the short, silky fur. "It's been over two hundred years since I last saw a messenger, and his wings were not nearly as lovely as yours. You're significantly bigger, too, which will give you an advantage in long-distance flying and passenger transport."

One of the lords, the Head Alpha of Sparrow Wood Village to the south, stepped forward next, bowing to Balthazar before holding one hand out near his left wing in a silent request to be allowed to touch. The omega nodded, watching as the alpha carefully ran his fingers over the delicate bones, stepping back to take a quick measurement of the messenger's wingspan. "Truly remarkable. You could travel much farther in a day than our best scouts, I would imagine. What's the multiplier?"

"Balthazar can fly approximately three times faster than an average wolf can run," Crowley answered, pride in his voice. "Once he has had more training, or if he pushes himself, that can reach five or six times faster than a traveling run." He watched the nobles for any sign of fear or distrust, and he knew that Abaddon and Ruby were attentive, as well, but everyone seemed to be simply amazed by the omega's wings. "He managed a supply run to Swift River Supply Post and back in a single morning. The circuit normally takes almost two days."

"Impressive! Crowley, your chosen mate is remarkable. Will your pups inherit this trait?"

"I don't know. I didn't, but I take after my mother. I would love to have messenger pups."

Balthazar looked over his shoulder at that, shock sharpening the edges of his scent. He and Crowley had not talked about pups much, but this was the first time the alpha had said anything about them in public. _"You don't think messenger pups would cause problems?"_

" _Like what?"_

The white wolf shrugged, watching curiously as Kevin and Alfie joined him at the base of the dais, both of them stripping out of their loose clothes. _"If a witch can't rule, neither can a messenger. I thought you wanted an heir, presumably a half-witch."_

Crowley walked around to stand in front of Balthazar, taking the wolf's huge head in his hands and kissing his snout. "Zar, I wouldn't care if all of our pups were completely mundane, no wings or powers or anything. I'd love them anyway. But I do think that you would love to have a pup who can fly like you, someone you can train. Just as I would love to have a little half-witch alpha who wants to learn to protect and command a pack."

" _That would be pretty cool,"_ Balthazar conceded, glancing over his shoulder as he heard the rustle of wings. Kevin and Alfie had both shifted while Crowley spoke, spreading their own smaller wings in a show of solidarity with Balthazar.

Crowley turned to face his court and shrugged, the hint of a smile on his face. "As you can see, our pack has been triply blessed with the presence of three young messengers. Samandriel and Kevin only recently sprouted their wings, while Balthazar has been flying for three months now. I announce this with the understanding that these three are valued and highly beloved members of my pack. We are not Celestials, and I will not allow any harm to come to them." There was a hard edge to his voice, the alpha issuing both a command and a challenge.

His people, however, were more loyal than Balthazar could have guessed. The head alpha of Sparrow Wood Village bowed his head, all of the nobles in the room echoing the motion. "We already treasure Balthazar as your intended mate and a masterful leader in his own right, and we have always loved Linda's pups. Alpha, if you fear any trouble from us, your loyal subjects, I am happy to disappoint you. We will always care for and protect these three messengers."

Balthazar had no control over his response to that. The scent of _happy omega_ filled the room, and Crowley chuckled slightly as he ran his fingers through his boyfriend's shining fur. Turning around for a moment to disrobe, the alpha also shifted forms, taking a seat beside Balthazar as the smaller wolf folded his wings against his body without tucking them away. Crowley turned his head and nuzzled the omega gently, a smile in his mental voice. _"Yes, you have to leave in the morning, but look at the pack that will eagerly await your return. They want you, Zar, as much as I do. They want a strong, confident omega to stand by my side, as my equal, and rule them. My pack has wanted me mated for a long time, and it helps that they truly accept you."_

" _Crowley . . ."_

" _Leave in the morning knowing that my entire pack will mourn your loss and wait eagerly for your return. No matter what happens in Wilderness lands, you belong here, my love."_

Balthazar whined happily and leaned against Crowley's side, finally tucking his wings away as his tail began to wag. _"Thank you."_

* * *

"Well I don't know; it all fit in that bag for the trip over!"

Charlie raised her eyebrow at her mentor, the younger omega's face twisting into one of the new bitch faces she had learned from Sam over the past couple of months. "Rowena, you must have doubled your wardrobe since we arrived. Who the hell is giving you all of this stuff?"

The tiny witch shrugged, tilting her head imperiously. "I cannot help it if people in this town are grateful for my healing powers."

"Among other things," her apprentice replied dryly, finding another bag and carefully folding Rowena's expanded wardrobe into it. "I heard about that fertility charm you gave Tasha."

"She asked for it."

"She doesn't need it, Rowena. The ritual will be enough for her this year. You and I both know what her future entails."

Rowena took a seat on the chair near Charlie's packing area, careful to keep out of the way. She was terrible at neatly arranging clothes and supplies into the smallest space possible, so she left all of that to her apprentice. "You and I also know that there is a very real mental element to health and pregnancy. If the wee charm gives the lass some measure of comfort and hope, who am I to deny that to her? She will have her pregnancy."

"And in return she had five dresses commissioned for you, all too elegant to wear outside of court, that I will have to carry back."

Rowena grinned, sensing that Charlie's arguments were more stress relief than anything else. The young omega was upset that she would have to be separated from her new partner, one she was eager to explore a deeper relationship with, but it was necessary for now. The witch opened her mouth to offer a reply, freezing as the tattoo on her left arm glowed frantically and with a slight burning sensation. She touched it curiously, watching as Charlie echoed the action.

They listened to Crowley's call for an emergency meeting of the full Council, all nobles in town, and the entire Coven. Silence reigned in Rowena's room as they waited patiently, Don reaching across the link and dutifully relaying everything he saw and heard to his leader and her young apprentice. Both of them gasped as Balthazar stood in the center of the chamber and spread his wings, watching breathlessly as the reaction of the gathered wolves was nothing but curious, amazed, and supportive.

"They've accepted the messengers," Charlie whispered, blinking as the vision faded. It was never easy, watching something through another witch's eyes, though it was the best defense the Spellbound lands had from northern and western invaders. "I can't believe it."

"I would never have anticipated this outcome," Rowena mused, fingering the amethyst point hanging from a gold chain around her neck. "That was quite the gamble on my son's part, but he knows his people better than I thought. The Spellbound pack accepts the messengers."

Charlie frowned and leaned forward to nuzzle her mentor, knowing that there was something the older witch wasn't telling her. "What is it?"

"I just . . . the Celestial wolves killed Fergus's father for having wings, and now he is facing the prospect of a mate and possibly pups who will be in danger for the same reason. He must have somehow, maybe subconsciously, encouraged the pack to be curious about winged wolves, not to fear or hate them. I wonder if he was trying to atone for his father's death all this time."

"Perhaps," Charlie murmured. "I wish I could see their pups."

Rowena shook her head. "Don't try to force the visions yet. You will have more control once you properly bond with your prophet."

"I can't wait."

* * *

"Are you excited to see your brother in a few days?"

Cas nodded, eagerly packing his clothes into the large traveling bag Dean had procured for them. "I've never been separated from him before, and talking across Tasha's bond isn't the same thing. Not to mention that I couldn't talk to him while he was sequestered with the omegas in heat. I know the journey will take three days, but it's going to pass by in a flash."

"I don't have a twin, but Sam and I spent every waking moment together until my first rut. I went off with Dad, but Sam had to stay home until he presented. I went home as often as I could and we spent every winter in town, but other than that I barely saw him. As soon as he was old enough to leave home, the two of us were finally able to form our own small pack and have been inseparable for the last six years."

"What are you going to do when he gets mated and settles down?"

Dean's first instinct was a flippant answer that he and Sam would just live together, but then he caught himself and smiled sadly at the dark-haired omega. "You're thinking about Balthazar again, aren't you? He's going to mate Crowley and live in Spellbound lands and you won't see him more than a handful of times a year." Cas nodded, twisting his shirt in his hands as the conversation distracted him from his packing. Dean settled onto the floor next to the omega, pulling him against his side and purring softly in his ear. "We all have to grow up, Cas. At least you aren't both being forced to mate alphas of your brother's choosing. I doubt you would have seen him much then."

"No, I suppose not," Cas murmured. "And Gad and Gabe won't be going anywhere, I suppose."

"I really doubt they will." Dean grinned and ran his fingers through the omega's soft hair, letting the faint scent of roses fill his nostrils. Cas had discovered Tasha's collection of bath oils and scented hair soap weeks earlier and enjoyed trying out new combinations that enhanced his own natural scent. Dean was growing to love the roses.

"I'm sorry for being so emotional about this," Cas whispered, leaning deeper against Dean's side and letting the alpha's strength bolster him. "I'm just so worried about the future."

"Oh baby, you have been so strong and so brave for so long, barreling ahead without worrying about tomorrow. You're _allowed_ to be concerned about your future." He nuzzled Cas's neck and nipped at the spot he would one day bite, watching as the raven-haired man shivered in his arms. "That's better. Relax, love. Let me help you worry, okay?"

Something sparkled in Cas's blue eyes as he rubbed against the alpha, whining softly in Dean's ear. "You can help me with something else, too."

Dean couldn't help his instinctive reaction to that suggestive tone, his scent darkening as he pulled the omega closer. " _Cas_ ," he groaned, leaning down to kiss the side of the omega's neck. "You can't. We can't. You know that. Rowena said . . . and Sam will _kill_ us."

Cas reached up and twined his fingers with Dean's, pulling the alpha's hand to his chest, biting his bottom lip as he watched that hand drift lower. "No biting, no omega space, and don't mount me. Dean, I think you can handle that."

The alpha groaned softly, running his fingers across his omega's pants, teasing the younger man's sudden erection. "You need help with this?"

" _Dean_ ," Cas whined, pressing himself against the alpha's side. "Don't tease me, please."

"I'm not, Cas, but didn't you spend four days in the omega wing _away from me_ to prevent this from happening?" Dean's hand didn't stop its exploration, his other one twining in Cas's dark locks. "Babe . . . it won't be longer than a couple more weeks."

Cas ran his fingers up Dean's arm, pressing down _just_ hard enough with his nails to raise a line of red welts. He knew that the alpha's wolf would react to the marking, and he could feel his future mate fighting against every instinct in order to keep himself calm. "I'm in control, Dean. That was the point of my time away. _I_ want this, want you, not just my omega. And I'm really, _really_ fucking horny and masturbating alone isn't as much fun."

Castiel had learned over the past few months the words, the motions, the _scents_ that would drive Dean wild. He knew how to hold them back, to control himself, and he knew how to push the alpha over the edge. He knew that his arousal deepened the trace of honeysuckle in his scent, and he knew that Dean would lean forward, bury his nose in the omega's neck to breathe in as much as he could. The alpha groaned, fingers tightening against Cas's chest and in his dark locks, something dark and primal strengthening in his cinnamon and apple scent. _"Cas."_

The omega pulled back, calmed his scent, pulled his hands away from the alpha's arms, and took a deep, calming breath. Dean looked up and met Cas's too-bright eyes, his own dark emerald eyes fading back to their normal jade shade as he started to nod slowly. "I'm in control, Dean," Cas murmured. "I'm in control of myself, and I'm pretty sure I'm in control of you. Can't you trust me to hold onto that until we're mated?"

"I trust you, Cas; Ancestors know I do. I'm just not sure I trust myself."

Cas leaned closer, locking eyes with Dean as he reached down to unbuckle the alpha's pants, slipping his hand inside and gently wrapping his fingers around a rapidly-filling erection. "I'll hold your hand through the tricky parts," the omega purred teasingly, tightening his grip to bring Dean to the edge as quickly as possible.

Dean groaned and thrust into the omega's fist, never losing contact with those intense azure eyes. "Cas, I don't think I've ever loved you more."

The Celestial leaned forward and let his lips brush across Dean's ear. "Wait until I let you slip inside me. You're going to lose your mind."

Dean tried to catch his howl, and he was at least partially successful, but he had never felt so out of control before in his life as he came all over his pants and his omega's velvety grip. Cas let his hand move lower to squeeze the alpha's knot, forcing a second, shorter orgasm out of his partner as Dean shivered with the aftershocks. "Damn, Cas. What the hell did you learn in that omega wing while the boys were in heat?"

Cas chuckled and pulled his hand free, wiping it clean on Dean's already-stained pants. "You know, just learned about babies and alphas' knots. Normal omega stuff."

"You've gotten a little cocky, my sweet omega." Dean reached up and ran his fingers through Cas's raven locks, grinning at the wayward curls that twisted away from his hand. "What's gotten into you today?"

"I'm just excited to finally see Balthy again. I didn't really get a chance to say goodbye to him before Rowena sent him to Spellbound lands. And then we're going back to your city and we're going to be mated. Dean, I've never been so happy."

The alpha slipped out of his stained pants and reached for the strings on Cas's, smirking at the omega. "Let's see if I can make you even happier."

* * *

"You know, I distinctly remember you biting your brother's head off for doing basically this with Cas. Aren't we being a little hypocritical?"

Sam, who had been kissing a trail down Gabriel's back, glanced up from the winter-pale skin he had been worshiping, long fingers still moving slowly against the omega's hips. "Dean and Cas were getting lost in each other like a mated couple, but without the bond that would protect them from the side-effects. I understand the urge . . . but Dean doesn't think anything through, not really. He wants Cas more than his wolf does, and he wasn't ready for that. My brother is a lot of things, but he's never been one for controlling himself. Me—" Sam ran his fingers down Gabe's side before gripping his thigh and pulling the omega tight against him—"I've never had that problem."

Gabe groaned as his alpha's erection rubbed against his ass, _exactly_ where he wanted it to be, if not for the two layers of clothes between them. His scent spiked, the gardenia aroma almost overwhelming in the small space, the alpha taking a deep breath as his eyes darkened. "Sam," Gabe breathed, tipping his head back so he could catch the taller man's eyes. "Please."

"There we go," Sam purred, pressing against Gabe as he kissed the side of his neck where he knew that he would one day see the pale scar of a mating bite. "Stop worrying about everyone else for a minute and focus on yourself. Just relax and let me take care of you."

"Okay," Gabe breathed, pushing back against Sam, "I can do that."

* * *

"What do you think your brothers are up to? We were supposed to get all of our bags together before supper to ensure that we are ready to go in the morning." Charlie, having appointed herself Chief Organizer of the trip back to Spellbound lands, rifled through Gadreel's sack, tucking a few things more neatly as she shoved in bags of dried meat and fruits. She had no intention of stopping to hunt on the trail, so everyone had agreed to carry as much food as she thought they would need for the three day journey.

"They're having sex," Gadreel replied evenly, handing over the leather canteens she had asked him to fill, his golden eyes sparkling with amusement at her gasp. "I mean, nothing too close to actual mating, but they've been alone in their rooms for far too long to still be wearing any clothes. My brothers find Dean and Sam quite distracting."

Benny grinned as he leaned against the wall and chewed on a piece of candy Tasha had brought him earlier. It was flavored with peppermint, which seemed perfect for a late-winter treat. "I caught the end of one of Dean's howls earlier. Normally he keeps himself quiet, but I'm sure Cas has learned how to make that boy lose control. As long as they're careful, I'm sure there's no problem."

Rowena glanced up at Benny as she moved her small travel pack to the side, not wanting to listen to her apprentice scold her again about accepting so many gifts from the villagers for her magical assistance over the past couple months. "I'm surprised that you and young Gadreel are not partaking in this moment of peace today."

"We already, uh, _partook_ ," Benny replied, a touch of embarrassment in his soft voice. "We just also kept an eye on the time, something that our pack mates have neglected to do."

Charlie rolled her eyes as she sorted out the canteens. "I hope they get out here soon so I can check their bags. I want to make sure we're ready to go at first light."

Jo, who had brought her own bag as well as the Banes twins' satchels, looked up from the book she had been reading and smiled at her intended. "Char, everything is going to be fine. You've spent the whole day running around, flitting from project to project like a deranged butterfly in an overgrown meadow, and I'm worried that you're going to go crazy. The boys are relaxing in their own way because the next week is going to be nothing but hard runs, short meals, and even shorter tempers. Let them have today."

Charlie sighed and nodded, walking over to settle in the pillows against the wall beside Jo, resting her head on the alpha's shoulder. "I know. I just . . . I _need_ to get back. I can feel this _pull_ inside me, and I know it's my prophet calling for me, desperate for guidance. The sooner I get back to Spellbound lands, the sooner I can head north to look for him."

"And the sooner you will be able to understand your visions," Rowena added softly. She knew the real reasons behind her apprentice's actions.

Jo closed her book and placed it on a low table nearby, wrapping one arm around Charlie and pulling the omega close. "Why don't we put the packing aside until after supper? Alicia and Max will be back from the town by then, and I hear that they are absolute geniuses at packing for the trail. You can let them help you, and we'll be done in no time."

Charlie nodded slowly, letting Jo's sweet olive scent with its undercurrent of cloves calm her, nuzzling under the alpha's chin as Benny, Gadreel, and Rowena wisely slipped away. "It's not the journey there that I'm worried about; it's the ritual. This Spring Equinox ritual is going to be the most important one I have ever done; I know it. Somehow, I know."

"And it will be perfect," Jo soothed, running her fingers through Charlie's long red hair. When she was younger, before she started running with Dean and his pack, Jo had worked in the Hunter's Roadhouse, an inn and tavern owned by her mother, Ellen Harvelle, that sat on the outskirts of the main Wilderness city. It had given her the opportunity to have simple one-night stands with anyone she wanted, any gender or subgender, and Jo had tried them all. She didn't have a preference, not like Sam and Dean did when it came to omega males, but she really liked that Charlie was smaller than her, delicate enough that Jo felt like she could protect her, but strong enough to take care of herself, even without magic. "Want me to help you relax?"

Charlie grinned and raised her head, emerald eyes sparkling. "You know me so well."

* * *

The dawn was worse for being cheery and bright.

Balthazar glared at the sun through half-lidded eyes, hating the brilliance of the morning, the lack of gloomy clouds to match his mood, and the promise of a quick journey that would carry him away from his alpha. He didn't want to wake up, he didn't want to go, but he knew what the day held in store.

"Zar, glaring at the sun won't make it go away." Crowley and Balthazar had spent the night alone, Alfie and Kevin giving them their privacy for their last night together. It was a small comfort to be able to sleep tangled together, not worrying about clothes as Balthazar fell asleep to the sound of his alpha's strong heartbeat. Now, though, the bare skin was a tease, the flirty promise of a nebulous future that neither of them truly believed would come easily. He would leave today, run back to Wilderness lands, and _maybe_ John would accept him into the pack, giving Crowley the right to ask for his hand in mating. Maybe.

"It might if I try hard enough," the omega murmured, his normally jubilant rosemary and mint scent muted and dark.

"Come, love; you need time to eat before the girls come to escort you back."

"I could just fly to the border, you know. It wouldn't even take me a full day if I push myself. Then I can stay another two nights."

"And will you be any more ready to leave in two mornings than you are today?"

"No," Balthazar whispered, sighing against Crowley's chest. "I'll never be ready to leave."

"I know. And I would prefer that you not go alone. The journey normally takes three days with good weather, but at the end of winter with everything muddy from the start of the thaw and glacier water from the mountains swelling the streams, there's easily an extra half-day. The trip here in the snow took you almost four full days, and you were running pretty hard. Ruby and Meg are going to push you hard, they're going to run into the night, and they're barely going to stop for food. The closest supply post that direction is over two days away, come to think of it. But they agreed to wait until this morning to give you one more night with me, even though they both wanted to leave last night. They can't give you any more."

"I know," Balthazar sighed, pushing himself into a sitting position. "Let's eat so we can meet them on time."

"Good boy," Crowley purred, cupping the omega's cheek and offering him a quick kiss.

* * *

Ruby and Meg were understandably impatient when Crowley and Balthazar finally met them at the gate. It was an hour past dawn, exactly the time they had asked to meet, but both females were eager to get on the road and return to Rowena's side. Staying in the city without her for most of the winter had been hard on them, and they were ready to return to the wild forests with their witches. Mshindi waited beside them patiently, with Linda, her pups, and Don and Maggie rounding out the group. Everyone had come to bid Balthazar farewell, only Abaddon absent since she was running morning court to give Crowley time to calm himself after his omega vanished over the hills.

"Okay, remember the plan," Maggie instructed, handing a carefully-bound leather bag to Ruby. "These are all of the scrolls and supplies that Rowena will need for her ritual. Set up the circle for five, and make sure that none of those Wilderness alphas come near it. They don't have the same respect for magic that our people do, so they may inadvertently scramble the gathered energies. And don't let them touch any of the ingredients!"

"Maggie, we're not purblind pups," Ruby chuckled, tucking the sack away among her supplies. "The ritual will be fine, and we will match your schedule perfectly."

"We know you will," Don replied, tilting his head at his mate. "She just worries."

"Let her worry," Crowley rumbled as he and Balthazar joined the group. "Saves me the trouble. Ruby, did you talk about Mshindi?"

"Uh, yeah. Not knowing his speed and endurance, which we will assume to be lower than average since he's an omega and from a much warmer climate, we've decided that we'll just carry him if he needs a break. All three of us are big enough, so Linda packed those riding straps you made." She flicked her eyes to Balthazar and grinned. "Thankfully, our resident messenger is larger than most betas in form and won't have problems helping out."

The omega grinned as he started to strip out of his clothes, Kevin and Alfie helping him fold them neatly and pack them away. He still hadn't mastered changing forms with clothes on, though Alfie could now manage cotton pants, but he left his beaded necklace on so he could continue to practice as they traveled. Mshindi, who of course could change with his heavy winter clothes and small supply bag, waited in human form for as long as he could, knowing that his short-furred desert-adapted wolf form wouldn't be immune to the lingering winter chill. "I can't wait for you to see Cas. He's bigger than most _alphas_ I've ever met. It pissed Michael off every time we shifted around him; Cas is his height as a wolf, though not as bulky, and bigger than Raphael. Thankfully Dean Winchester is obnoxiously large; Cas is pretty happy to have an alpha who can tower over him in at least one form."

"I can't wait," Ruby replied dryly, already stripped down to her wolf fur undergarments as she and Meg patiently waited for the Celestial to shift.

Balthazar suddenly realized that it was time, that as soon as he changed forms he would run away from his alpha, and it could be months before they saw each other again. His scent soured instantly, a low whine vibrating his throat as he shook his head and backed away. "I don't want to go! Crowley, please . . . don't make me go."

Alfie and Kevin, reacting instinctively to the scent of a fellow omega in distress, whined and tucked themselves against their mother's side, asking for her protection from whatever was frightening their friend. Crowley stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Balthazar, shushing him as he kissed away the tears on the omega's cheek.

"I'll talk to you every day through that tattoo of yours. Would that help?"

Balthazar shook his head, taking a deep, steadying breath before pulling back and smiling sadly at his alpha. "You can't call me at all. Hearing your voice and not being able to get to you . . . I wouldn't be able to handle it. I'm not strong enough to stay away with that lure in my mind."

"Zar . . ."

"You have to turn the tattoo off, Crowley."

"Zar! This spell protects you, lets you reach out to me wherever you are. I can't!"

Balthazar nodded. "You can. You have to. If I'm deep in Wilderness lands and I call to you, how would you get to me fast enough to protect me? You can't, and I know that bothers you. Ruby and Meg will take over protecting me for now, and then the Winchesters will once I return to Wilderness lands. I won't be going alone, and there won't be another Gerald incident. You don't have to worry about me."

"Yes I do," Crowley whispered, sighing as he realized that Balthazar had a point. "I still would like to talk to you, to know that you're okay."

"It will distract you from ruling your people," the omega whispered, fighting back his tears as he held out his arm. "An alpha's responsibility is to his people first. You know that. Your pack needs you to be present and focused more than I need to hear your voice. I didn't talk to you on the fifth day in the omega wing because it would have made everything harder, knowing you were just out of reach. The journey to the Wilderness city is going to be hard, and I would rather you think I'm happy and safe than worry about every little spike in my emotions."

Crowley touched his fingers to Balthazar's purple tattoo, watching as the symbols he had added faded to white, only leaving Tasha's original lines intact. "I would, you know. I would reach out to you every hour, I would want to hear your voice as often as possible. I would touch your mind to check up on you, and I would worry if your emotions were anything but calm and peaceful. I would urge you to return, even knowing that your journey is vital, decreed by my mother, Speaker of the Prophet. I'm sorry I wasn't strong enough to offer this myself. I didn't want to let you go."

"I don't want to go," Balthazar replied, glancing at the pale lines he could _almost_ still see on his arm. "And when I return, you can reactivate the tattoo."

"When you return, I'm giving you a mating bite, not some damn tattoo," Crowley growled. He glanced up, red eyes meeting those pale blue he loved so much. "I'll shift with you, okay? I'll change forms with you."

The omega nodded, standing as close to his alpha as he reasonably could while the half-witch stripped out of his clothes. Crowley started his change as soon as he dropped his shirt on the ground, black fur spreading across his face as his bones shifted and grew. Balthazar shifted, too, iridescent white fur spreading to cover his body as he grew into his oversized wolf form, not noticing the other three travelers changing into wolves behind him. Kevin and Alfie dashed forward, wrapping their arms around his neck and bidding him farewell before stepping back.

" _I'll think of you every day, my heart."_

Balthazar leaned against Crowley, ignoring Linda as she fastened his pack around his waist. _"I am so glad Rowena sent me here. I will never regret the time we've had, even though we have to be apart. And, when I return, I'll be your omega forever."_

" _Forever,"_ Crowley echoed, rubbing his head against the white wolf's. _"But you have to go now, Zar. You have to go."_ On the last word, he shoved, his greater strength overcoming the omega's resistance as Balthazar was forced back a step. Ruby, who had been waiting for her alpha to let the Celestial go, jumped between them, red eyes flashing as she nipped at the white wolf, a commanding display of dominance as she ordered him to move.

Balthazar whined and glanced up at Crowley, the red-striped black alpha backing away as Ruby pushed the omega onto the road. Finally accepting the inevitable, Balthazar spun on his back legs and loped forward, Meg and Mshindi in front of him as Ruby nipped at his flank and barked a warning. Meg jumped into a run in front of him, and a shoulder against his hip encouraged him to match her pace. Too emotionally strung out to fight back and knowing better than to resist, Balthazar ran off after her, tears soaking his white fur as he called for Crowley in his mind. Relentless, Ruby pushed him onward, knowing that they had to get away from the city before one or both of the wolves changed their minds, before either one decided that they would ignore Rowena's instructions.

Behind them, as Balthazar's mental cry faded to nothing, Crowley raised his head to the heavens and howled, his entire city hearing his anguish. Balthazar, running too fast to catch his breath for a reply, just sobbed.

* * *

 **End of _Part 1: Winter Journeys_**


End file.
